Objective: This study had for aim to evaluate the immuno-virological and therapeutic profile of a cohort of 7416 HIV-1 infected patients followed in six French hospital with the Nadis software.
Method: This cross sectional and retrospective study was performed between June 1, 2004 and June 1, 2005. We analyzed the demographic (sex, age, HIV infection route), immunovirological, and therapeutic characteristics (last treatment prescribed) of the 7416 cohort patients.
Results: The mean age was 43 years, 29% were women and 29% HCV/HBV co infected. The viral load was 1.9 log(10)copies/ml (IQR: 1.5-3.3) and the CD4 cells count was 452/mm(3) [IQR: 306-630]. Among the 5,913 antiretroviral treated patients, VL was less than 200 copies/ml for 74.7% of patients and 50% of them had a CD4 cell count superior to 500/mm(3); the drug regimen was 2 or 3 nucleosides reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) combined with one protease inhibitor (88% Ritonavir boosted) in 42% of the patients, 26% of them were treated with 2 NRTI and 1 non-NRTI, and 14% with 3NRTI. Patients with undetectable VL were followed 5.1/year versus 7.2 for non- VL controlled patients (P<10(-3)). The heterosexual route predominated among the new 531 HIV-diagnosed patients among whom 25% had a median CD4 cell count of 242/ m(3).
Conclusion: Close to 75% of antiretroviral treated patients had a VL<200 copies/ml but 15% kept a low CD4 cell count. The characteristics of recently diagnosed HIV positive patients stresses the need for more information on prevention and an early diagnosis.