5th International AIDS Conference


Montreal, Quebec, Canada — Jun 4-9, 1989

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Evolution towards AIDS in a group of Italian intravenous drug abusers (IDA) with PGL.

Int Conf AIDS 1989 Jun 4-9; 5:166 (abstract no. A.536)
Luzzati R, Giraldi D, Malena M, Mazzi R, Ciaffoni S, Roata C; Institute of Infectious Diseases, Verona, Italy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 3-year progression rate to AIDS in a group of IDA with PGL in Verona (Italy).

METHODS: One hundred and thirtytwo IDA (mean age 27 +/- 6 years) with PGL were enrolled in a prospective study between July 1984 and June 1986. Except for PGL, all patients were symptomless and had CD4+ lymphocytes above 400/ml. The patients were followed up at intervals of 3-6 months for a median period of 36 months (range 30-40 months). None received anti-HIV or immunorestorative drugs during the period of observation. Progression to full-blown AIDS was established according to CDC revised surveillance definition (1987). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate the 3-year incidence rates of AIDS.

RESULTS: AIDS was diagnosed in 5 patients. The 1-year incidence rate for AIDS was 1.23%; the 2-year rate was 1.33% and 3-year rate was 4.64%. Therefore, the rate of progression to AIDS increased over the period of follow-up. The current actuarial progression rate of PGL to AIDS at 3 years results 7.2%.

CONCLUSION: The beginning of HIV epidemic in large Italian cities dates back at least to 1981. Our finding suggests that IDA could present lower progression rates to AIDS than other groups at risk of HIV observed in recent prospective studies.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Prospective Studies, HIV Core Protein p24, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.), Incidence, Evolution, Italy, Human, ICA5KWDaegis,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,hiv,hivseropositivity,hivinfections,cd4-positivet-lymphocytes,prospectivestudies,hivcoreproteinp24,centersfordiseasecontrolandprevention(uKWDsKWD),incidence,evolution,italy,human,ica5

890604
A536

Copyright © 1989 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.