Characteristics of HIV-immigrant population under monitoring in an outpatient consultation at a University hospital

Abstract

Our main objective was to analyze the clinical, epidemiologic and therapeutic differences among HIV immigrant and native patients who are regularly monitored in an outpatient consultation at a University hospital. Methodology: Case-control study including 74 patients under regular monitoring in an outpatient consultation at a University hospital. Results: The origin of the immigrant HIV patients was America (62%), Sub-Saharan Africa (19%), Europe (13,5%) y the Magreb (5,5%). Immigrant patients were significantly younger (33,2 vs 39,1 years old), they showed a higher prevalence of infection acquisition by sexual behaviours (91,8% vs 48,6%) and lower rates of HCV co-infection (11% vs 36,6%). There were not significant differences regarding: sex (35,2% inmigrant females vs 27% native females), C clinical status (29,8% vs 21,6%), CD4 counts at first consultation (289/mm3 vs 356/mm3), viral load at first consultation (48.972 cp/mL vs 29.844 cp/mL), time of follow up (22 months vs 21,8 months), number of examinations during the follow-up (7,73 vs 7,05), needing of antiretroviral therapy (78,4% vs 78,4%), latest CD4 counts (413/mm3 vs 403/mm3) and undetected viral load at the end of the follow-up (64,8% vs 48,6%). Conclusions: Immigrant HIV patients have specific epidemiologic characteristics regarding the ones of the native HIV patients. Nevertheless, once they are integrated in the outpatient monitoring program their disease evolution is similar to the one of the native patients.

Keywords

• Immigrants
• HIV
• AIDS
• epidemiology