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Infectious Diseases and Therapy
Published in: Infectious Diseases and Therapy 3/2022

01-06-2022 | Human Immunodeficiency Virus | Original Research

Late cART Initiation Consistently Driven by Late HIV Presentation: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study in Taiwan from 2009 to 2019

Authors: Chun-Yuan Lee, Yi-Pei Lin, Sheng-Fan Wang, Po-Liang Lu

Published in: Infectious Diseases and Therapy | Issue 3/2022

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Abstract

Introduction

Late initiation (LI) of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)—defined as having a CD4+ count of < 200 cells/μL or an AIDS-defining disease at cART initiation—has detrimental outcomes but remains prevalent worldwide, with LI trends and etiologies following the implementation of various HIV policies remaining underinvestigated. We assessed key concerns, characterized the determinants of various statuses at cART initiation, and evaluated the effects of those statuses on all-cause mortality after cART initiation.

Methods

This multicenter retrospective cohort study enrolled 1198 patients with newly diagnosed HIV infection during 2009–2019 who were grouped by status at cART initiation: those without LI (non-LI group, 56.01%); those with LI but without late presentation (LP) of HIV (LP: a CD4 + count of < 200 cells/μL at HIV presentation or AIDS events ≤ 3 months of HIV diagnosis) [LILP(−) group, 4.51%]; and those with LI and with LP of HIV [LILP(+) group, 39.48%]. Joinpoint regression was used to identify changes in LI proportion.

Results

The median CD4+ count at cART initiation increased significantly between 2009 (98 cells/μL) and 2015 (325 cells/μL) and stabilized thereafter (P for trend < 0.001). For LI, we identified one joinpoint in 2015: a substantial decrease from 77.14% in 2009 to 34.45% in 2015, followed by a nonsignificant increase to 39.1% in 2019. Overall, LILP(+) explained 89.8% of LI, without significant changes (92.59% in 2009 to 94.23% in 2019). In addition to HIV diagnosis during 2009–2012, multinomial logistic regression identified an age over 30 years and acute HIV infection as risk factors for LILP(+) and LILP(−), respectively. LILP(−) and LILP(+) were associated with a higher all-cause mortality risk.

Conclusion

Given the rise in LI from 2015 in the era of treat-all and rapid cART initiation, strategic interventions to increase earlier cART initiation must be intensified in Taiwan, especially among populations with delayed access to HIV testing services.
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Metadata
Title
Late cART Initiation Consistently Driven by Late HIV Presentation: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study in Taiwan from 2009 to 2019
Authors
Chun-Yuan Lee
Yi-Pei Lin
Sheng-Fan Wang
Po-Liang Lu
Publication date
01-06-2022
Publisher
Springer Healthcare
Published in
Infectious Diseases and Therapy / Issue 3/2022
Print ISSN: 2193-8229
Electronic ISSN: 2193-6382
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40121-022-00619-7

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