Abstract

SORIA, Elio A.; NORES, María L.; DIAZ, María del P.  and  KREMER, Luis E.. Effect of a healthcare gender gap on progression of HIV/AIDS defined by clinical-biological criteria among adults from Cordoba City (Argentina) from 1995 to 2005. Gac Sanit [online]. 2010, vol.24, n.3, pp.204-208. ISSN 0213-9111.

Objective: To establish the influence of clinical status at diagnosis and of gender on progression of HIV/AIDS determined by clinical-biological factors in patients from Cordoba City (Argentina) from 1995 to 2005). Methods: Gender and clinical and laboratory data were evaluated by descriptive statistics, non-parametric survival analysis, and generalized linear models at the beginning of the study (diagnosis) and at the end (hospital records, n=209). Results: At diagnosis, women (n=28, 13.4%) had a higher probability of being asymptomatic than men (n=181, 86.6%). High viremia was associated with advanced clinical stages, but was inversely related to CD4 count. Truncated Kaplan-Meier curves were similar for both sexes. The probability of not having AIDS criteria at the end of the study was higher in patients without these criteria at diagnosis. Women had a higher probability of having AIDS at the end of the follow-up than men. In contrast, men had a higher prevalence of venereal diseases (n=38, 21%), dysmetabolic profile (n=14, 7.7%) and positive serology for opportunists (n=31, 17.1%). Marker diseases were mainly represented by internal mycosis and waste syndrome, although less specific findings (anemia, oral lesions) were also associated with progression. Conclusions: Using an integrative approach, high viremia was critically linked to clinical and lymphocyte impairment. Early diagnosis was a major determinant of clinical course, with women having a worse prognosis. However, men were diagnosed in clinically advanced stages and with other non-HIV-related entities, which could affect progression. These findings should be integrated into the planning of preventive strategies.

Keywords : AIDS; HIV; Gender; Clinical course.

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