HIV and HTLVI co-infection and survival in AIDS patients in French Guiana

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of HTLVI infection on survival in AIDS patients in French Guiana. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort of 151 adult patients with AIDS were followe d from January 1992 through lune 1996. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were es tablished. Using the Cox model, multivariate analysis was performed to exam ine different factors affecting survival. RESULTS: The incidence of HTLVI infection in this cohort was 11.9% and 57.6 % of the patients died during the study period. Multivariate analysis discl osed that older age at diagnosis of AIDS lover 45 years) and low CD4 count < 100/mm(3)) were predictors of poor survival. HIV-HTLVI co-infection was s trongly correlated with reduced survival (p = 0.02; RR = 2.2; CI = 1.1-4.5) . CONCLUSION: In our region, all patients with HIV infection should be screen ed for HTLVI infection. in case of co-infection, early care should included adapted antiretroviral regimens.