Trends in clinical characteristics of HIV-infected patients initiating antiretroviral therapy in Shanghai from 2006 to 2011.

This study aimed to characterise the clinical characteristics of HIV-infected patients accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Shanghai, China, from 2006 to 2011. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who initiated ART in Shanghai during the 6-year period of 2006 through 2011. The median age at ART initiation decreased from 41 years in 2008 to 38 years in 2011. The median CD4 counts at ART initiation rose from 65 cells/mm(3)in 2006 to 203 cells/mm(3)in 2011. The proportion of patients with CD4 counts <200 cells/mm(3)at ART initiation decreased from 88.5% in 2006 to 49.6% in 2011. The proportion of patients starting stavudine-based regimens of stavudine/lamivudine/efavirenz and stavudine/lamivudine/nevirapine fell from 49.2% in 2006 to 23.4% in 2011. The proportion of patients starting nevirapine-based regimens of zidovudine/lamivudine/nevirapine and stavudine/lamivudine/nevirapine fell from 44.3% in 2006 to 16.5% in 2011. The study reflects that the clinical characteristics of the patients initiating ART in Shanghai have changed over time; ART was increasingly provided in patients with higher CD4 counts; and the regimens containing stavudine were prescribed less frequently. Strategies to facilitate early access to ART and further reduction in stavudine use are needed.