Effects of Chinese Medicine on the Survival of AIDS Patients Administered Second-Line ART in Rural Areas of China: A Retrospective Cohort Study Based on Real-World Data

Yantao Jin; Miao Zhang; Yanmin Ma; Feng Sang; Pengyu Li; Chunling Yang; Dongli Wang; Huijun Guo; Zhibin Liu; Qianlei Xu

doi:10.1155/2022/5103768

Effects of Chinese Medicine on the Survival of AIDS Patients Administered Second-Line ART in Rural Areas of China: A Retrospective Cohort Study Based on Real-World Data

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022 Jan 27:2022:5103768. doi: 10.1155/2022/5103768. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Yantao Jin^{1

2}, Miao Zhang³, Yanmin Ma⁴, Feng Sang², Pengyu Li¹, Chunling Yang³, Dongli Wang², Huijun Guo¹, Zhibin Liu^{1

3}, Qianlei Xu^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Treatment and Research Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
² Henan Key Laboratory of Viral Diseases Prevention and Treatment of Chinese Medicine, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
³ The First Clinical Medical School, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
⁴ Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China.

Abstract

Objectives: Chinese medicine (CM) improves the symptoms of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and prolongs their survival. This real-world study aimed to evaluate the effects of CM on the survival of AIDS patients administered second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of the medical records of patients with AIDS who switched to second-line ART between January 2009 and December 2014. Patients were divided into ART and CM + ART groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to correct for biases between groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test were used to compare survival rates, and Cox regression models were employed to identify factors significantly associated with survival.

Results: The study population (n = 4180) was comprised of the CM + ART group (n = 855) and the ART group (n = 3325). After 1 : 2 PSM, 855 patients in the CM + ART group and 1699 in the ART group were selected for analysis. Patients in the CM + ART group were followed for 4246.8 person-years, and the mortality rate was 2.12/100 person-years. Patients in the ART group were followed for 8381.2 person-years, and the mortality rate was 2.91/100 person-years. Cox regression model analysis revealed that patients in the CM + ART group survived significantly longer than those in the ART group (hazard ratio: 0.73 and 95% confidence interval: 0.57-0.93). Gender, age, symptoms, CD4 cell counts, and viral loads were independently associated with the survival of AIDS patients treated with second-line ART.

Conclusions: CM significantly improved the survival rate of AIDS patients treated with second-line ART.