Temporal trends of initial CD4 cell counts following human immunodeficiency virus seroconversion in Italy, 1985-1992

Noya Galai, Alessandro Cozzi Lepri, David Vlahov, Patrizio Pezzotti, Alessandro Sinicco, Giovanni Rezza, G. Angarano, F. Castelli, P. Viale, B. Salassa, E. Ricchi, M. Barbanera, L. Ortona, U. Tirelli, F. Aiuti, A. Canessa, S. Muratori, M. Zaccarelli, A. Lazzarin, B. AlliegroM. Dorrucci

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

To determine whether initial CD4 cell counts after human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconversion have decreased over calendar time among participants in the Italian Seroconversion Study, HIV seroconverters who between 1985 and 1992 had a documented negative serology followed by a positive serology within 12 months and a first CD4 cell measurement within 24 months of seroconversion (defined as midpoint of negative and positive HIV tests) were cross-tabulated by year of seroconversion. Linear regression methods were used to examine temporal trends in initial CD4 level after adjustment for age, lag time of seroconversion, lag time of CD4 cell measurement, risk group, and clinical center. Between 1985 and 1992, the overall median initial CD4 cell level after seroconversion was 660 μl with a median lag time of 212 days and 137 days for seroconversion and first CD4 cell measurement, respectively. In univariate and multivariate models, the CD4 celt count increases of 4.3 and 4.2 cells μl/year, respectively, were not statistically significant. These data do not identify a trend of lower CD4 counts following HIV seroconversion in Italy and suggest indirectly that HIV has probably not become more virulent between 1985 and 1992.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)278-282
Number of pages5
JournalAmerican journal of epidemiology
Volume143
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 1996

Keywords

  • HIV
  • incidence
  • substance abuse, intravenous

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology

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