SURVIVAL AND MEDICAL INTERVENTION IN SOUTHERN BRAZILIAN AIDS PATIENTS

The aim of the study was to describe survival patterns of Southern Bra zilian AIDS patients: 224 predominantly working class AIDS patients we re treated in an AIDS referral centre in Porto Alegre between October 1986 and September 1991. The caseload increased progressively, as did the number of female AIDS cases treated at the Hospital during the stu dy period. Self-referred patients were more likely to present with an AIDS defining condition (P < 0.03) and they (n = 106) had significantl y worse survival patterns compared with patients referred by other hea lth care professionals (n = 112; P < 0.04). Median survival from the t ime of AIDS diagnosis was 5 months which did not change significantly during the study period (P = 0.38). Patients (n = 42) presenting with opportunistic infections other than mycobacterial disease (n = 42), Pn eumocystis carinii pneumonia (n = 37) or candidiasis (n = 18), had sig nificantly worse survival patterns (P = 0.001). Patients treated with zidovudine (n = 33) survived significantly longer from time of AIDS di agnosis than those not on zidovudine (n = 185; P = 0.0002). No signifi cant survival differences were observed from time of AIDS diagnosis be tween those who commenced on zidovudine before developing AIDS (n = 17 ) and those who were treated with zidovudine since diagnosed with AIDS (n = 16; P = 0.80). During the study period zidovudine was only avail able through private prescriptions. Survival of Southern Brazilian AID S patients has not improved: earlier access to HIV-related services an d the provision of effective and affordable therapeutic interventions are two measures which could improve future survival patterns.