Objective: To evaluate the optimal timing for initiating antiretroviral therapy in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated tuberculosis in Hong Kong.
Design: Historical cohort. SETTING. Tuberculosis and Chest Service and Special Preventive Programme, Public Health Service Branch, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong.
Patients: Consecutive patients with HIV-associated tuberculosis in a territory-wide TB-HIV registry encountered from 1996 to 2009.
Results: Of the 260 antiretroviral therapy-naïve patients with HIV-associated tuberculosis, 32 (12%) had antiretroviral therapy initiated within 2 months after starting anti-tuberculosis treatment (early antiretroviral therapy). Early antiretroviral therapy was associated with a more favourable outcome (cure or treatment completion without relapse) at 24 months (91% vs 67%; P=0.007) than those with antiretroviral therapy started later or not initiated, and remained an independent predictor of a favourable outcome after adjustment for potential confounders. Adverse effects from anti-tuberculosis drugs tended to occur more frequently in patients with early antiretroviral therapy (13/32 or 41%) compared with the remainder (59/228 or 26%; P=0.08). A significantly higher proportion of patients in the former group experienced immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome than in the latter group (7/32 or 22% vs 9/228 or 4%; P<0.001). There was no death attributable to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.
Conclusions: Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy is associated with more favourable tuberculosis treatment outcomes in patients with HIV-associated tuberculosis with a low CD4 count (<200/µL). Drug co-toxicity and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome that may be increased by earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy does not undermine tuberculosis treatment outcomes to a significant extent.
Keywords: Antiretroviral therapy, highly active; HIV; Treatment outcome; Tuberculosis.