Changing baseline characteristics among patients in the China National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program, 2002–09

OBJECTIVE To improve HIV treatment in China by determining changes over time of patient characteristics (geographic, clinical and route of HIV infection) among patients enrolled in the China National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program. METHODS Patients in the national treatment database from 1 June 2002 to 1 June 2009 were eligible. Patients were excluded if <18 years old, not previously treatment-naïve, missing initial treatment date or not initiated on triple drug therapy. RESULTS About 62 919 patients were included, located across 54.8% of counties/districts throughout mainland China; 86.4% were concentrated in 11.1% of counties/districts. Median age was 38 years, 41% female, 45.4% former plasma donors (FPDs), 33.9% sexually infected and 15.5% injection drug users (IDUs). Median baseline CD4 cell count was 129/µl. In 2002, 100% of treated were FPDs with no CD4 cell counts. By 2009, 59% of the treated were sexually infected and 96% had baseline CD4 cell counts. Injection drug users remained a minority of those treated. CONCLUSIONS Limited treatment resources can be focused on areas with more patients. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on earlier HIV diagnosis and treatment. New strategies must be identified to bring HIV-infected IDUs into treatment. Routine HIV testing would identify those at risk earlier.