Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in France

Abstract

Objectives and Methods: Retrospective study of all patients who started antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2007 in a single center in Paris, with baseline characteristics and 1-year outcome, to assess adherence to national guidelines. Results: We analyzed 118 patients. Time of ART initiation was in agreement with the guidelines for only 64 (54.2%) patients. Fifty patients (42%) started ART with AIDS or a CD4 count <200 cells/mm3. In all, 62 (52%) and 47 patients (40%) received a combination of 2 nucleoside analogues with efavirenz (EFV) and 1 ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI/r), respectively. Treatment regimens were in accordance with the guidelines for 114 patients (97%). At 1 year, 16 patients (13.5%) were lost to follow-up, only 5 (4.9%) experienced HIV disease progression or death, but 19 (18.6%) required hospitalization. Antiretroviral therapy was changed in 21 patients (21%). Ten patients (8.4%) experienced virologic failure. Conclusion: Antiretroviral therapy was in agreement with guidelines for the choice of combination but was often initiated too late.