Persistent HIV Viremia: Description of a Cohort of HIV Infected Individuals with ART Failure in Puerto Rico

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 13; no. 1; p. ijerph13010050
• Main Authors: Maldonado-Martínez, Gerónimo, Hunter-Mellado, Robert F, Fernández-Santos, Diana, Ríos-Olivares, Eddy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 22.12.2015; MDPI
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Retroviral Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Retroviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral drugs; Cohort Studies; Drug therapy; Female; HIV; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - mortality; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Puerto Rico; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Time Factors; Viral Load - drug effects; Viral Load - statistics & numerical data; Viremia - mortality; Virology; Young Adult; Puerto Rico; ASW, Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles, Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico; ART; mean viral load; HIV; viremia
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13010050

The introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has allowed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) suppression in patients. We present data of a cohort of Puerto Rican patients with HIV who were under treatment with a steady regime of ART across a time horizon of eleven years. The time periods were categorized into four year stratums: 2000 to 2002; 2003 to 2005; 2006 to 2008 and 2009 to 2011. Socio-demographic profile, HIV risk factors, co-morbid conditions were included as study variables. One year mortality was defined. The p value was set at ≤0.05. The cohort consisted of 882 patients with 661 subjects presenting with persistent HIV viral load after a self-reported 12 month history of ART use. In this sub-cohort a higher viral load was seen across time (p < 0.05). Illicit drug use, IV drug use, alcohol use, loss of work were associated to having higher viral load means (p < 0.05). HIV viral load mean was lower as BMI increased (p < 0.001). It is imperative to readdress antiretroviral adherence protocols and further study ART tolerance and compliance.