DEMOGRAPHICAL, VIRO-IMMUNOLOGICAL, CLINICAL AND THERAPEUTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HIV INFECTED PATIENTS IN A “EPIDEMIOLOGICALLY UNEXPLORED” REGION OF ITALY (CALABRIA REGION): THE CALABRHIV COHORT.

Abstract

Background and Objectives

HIV epidemics may differ among epidemiological contexts. We aimed at constructing an HIV clinical cohort whose main epidemiological, clinical and therapeutical characteristics are described (the CalabrHIV cohort, Calabria Region, Southern Italy).

Methods

The CalabrHIV cohort includes all HIV patients on active follow-up in all infectious disease centers in the Calabria Region as at October 2014. All information were recorded in a common electronic database. Not-infectious co-morbidities (such as cardiovascular diseases, bone fractures, diabetes, renal failure and hypertension) were also studied.

Results

548 patients (68% males; 63% aged <50 years) were included in the CalabrHIV cohort. Major risk factors: sexual transmission (49%) and intravenous drug use (34%). 39% patients had HCV and/or HBV co-infection. An high percentage of late presenters was observed (68.4% patients with CD4+ nadir <350/mm³and 38.5% patients with AIDS at baseline). 83% patients on HAART  had actually undetectable HIV-RNA. Hypertension was the most frequent co-morbidity (21.5%). Multi-morbidity was more frequent in >50 years-old patients than in <50 years-old ones (30% vs. 6%; p<0.0001). Co-morbidity was more frequent in HCV and/or HBV co-infected than in HIV mono-infected patients (46.6% vs. 31.7%: p=0.0006).

Conclusion

This cohort presentation study sheds light, for the first time, on HIV patients’ characteristics in the Calabria Region. Despite a small number of officially reported cases, the size of the cohort was substantial. We showed that HIV infected patients with chronic hepatites, were affected by concomitant not-infectious co-morbidities more than the HIV mono-infected individuals. New HCV treatments are eagerly awaited.