Clinical and laboratory findings in HIV-infected patients at the Jeanne Ebori Foundation in Libreville, Gabon (2002-2005)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate management of HIV-infected/AIDS patients within the framework of the ACCESS program at Center N 3 over a 4-year period. This retrospective single-center study included HIV-positive patients treated at the Jeanne Ebori Foundation in Libreville, Gabon between January 2002 and December 2005. The active file included 749 patients, i.e., 436 undergoing antiretroviral therapy and 313 with intention to treat. The population consisted mainly of city dwellers. Mean patient age was 38.8 years with a female predominance (sex ratio, 0.8). The highest incidence of infection was observed in the 20- to 30-year age group. Socioeconomic position was low in 63.2 % of patients. Clinical suspicion (67%) was the main reason for testing. In order of frequency, symptoms defined according to the WHO criteria were classified as stage B (33.5 %) and stage C (27.1%). Opportunistic infections were observed in 95% of cases: fungal: 57%, bacterial: 30.7%, and viral: 7.3%. Tritherapy, i.e., 2INTI + 1INNTI (72.9%) and 2INTI+1 IP (17.1%), was used in most cases. Treatment led to clinical improvement with a gradual, steady, and sustained increase in CD4 lymphocyte count. Adverse events were noted including gastrointestinal reactions (16%), neurological manifestations (12%), and general symptoms (12%). Concurrent disturbances in lipid levels and liver function were noted. Overall outcome was positive with a decrease in mortality from 39.2% (M0-M6) to 2.7% (M30-M36). The findings of this study show that improvement in socioeconomic conditions and availability of adequate diagnostic and therapeutic resources at management centers to obtain long-term control of HIV infection are still current issues.