Correlates Of Change in Cd4 Count Among the HIV Patients at Antiretroviral Treatment Centers in India: Cross Sectional Analysis of Secondary Data

Abstract

Introduction: The CD4 count supervision is an important part of the HIV-care programme worldwide. The monitoring of CD4 counts over time could provide insight into the way patient’s respond to the treatment with effectiveness over time. Methodology: Information on demographic and programme variables was extracted from 114210 patients across the country registered during 2007 with initial CD4 counts and longitudinally reassessed in 2012. The logistic regression method was used to find the factors associated with CD4 change either positive or negative. Results: The CD4 counts increased significantly over time in different subcategories of age, sex, ART status and time to ART initiation. 50.7% of total registered HIV-patients exhibits any change in their CD4 from initial measurement. The regression analysis showed any change in CD4 was associated with age, TS/TG group, on ART patients and ART initiation after 1 year. Further, 75% of these patients were displayed increase in CD4 counts. The likelihood of increase in CD4 was statistically associated with higher chances within the subgroup of factors as age <15 years, TS/TG group and on ART patients. Conclusion: Strategic interventions to increase early diagnosis of HIV infection, linkage to HIV-care and rapid access to ART must be implemented at country level, especially among the key population with poor access to HIV services.

Keywords

• CD4 count
• HIV/AIDS
• ART
• Secondary data
• Regression analysis
• India