Prognostic factors of survival of HIV-infected patients with cytomegalovirus disease: Aquitaine Cohort, 1986-1997

Objective: To analyse survival of HIV-infected patients who developed cytom egalovirus (CMV) disease and to identify prognostic factors of their surviv al. Methods: Cases of CMV disease diagnosed in the Aquitaine Cohort of HIV- infected patients (n = 4297) during the 1986-1996 period, were reviewed usi ng standardised definitions. Follow-up was extended to December 1997. Cox m odel was used to determine factors associated with survival after the initi al manifestations of CMV disease, considering protease inhibitor (PI) presc ription and anti-CMV treatment as time dependent covariates. Results: 253 p atients presented a CMV disease of which 221 (87.3%) died (median survival: 7 months). A better prognosis for survival was associated with: PI prescri ption [relative hazard (RH): 0.26; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.11-0.59] , anti-CMV treatment (RH: 0.37; CI: 0.25-0.54), CD4+ lymphocyte cell count > 50/mm(3) (RH: 0.66; CI: 0.47-0.94) and absence of neoplasia (RH: 0.70; CI : 0.52-0.94) whereas the disseminated CMV disease worsened prognosis (RH: 1 .83; CI: 1.20-2.80). Conclusion: Antiretroviral treatment including PI, imp roved short-term prognosis of CMV disease regardless of its clinical manife stations.