Anaemia in a rural Ugandan HIV cohort: prevalence at enrolment, incidence, diagnosis and associated factors.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and incidence of anaemia in HIV-positive and negative individuals; to identify risk factors for anaemia, prior to the introduction of HAART; and to determine the validity of the clinical diagnosis of anaemia.

Methods: Between 1990 and 2003, we followed a rural population based cohort of HIV-infected and uninfected participants. Prevalence and incidence of anaemia were determined clinically and by laboratory measurements.

HIV-1 disease progression and mortality before the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy in rural Uganda.

Objective: To provide estimates of survival and progression to different HIV disease endpoints after HIV infection among adults in a rural Ugandan setting.

Design: A prospective population-based cohort study.

Methods: Eligible individuals at least 15 years of age with documented HIV seroconversion were recruited from a general population cohort in rural Uganda, along with a randomly selected proportion of HIV-prevalent and HIV-negative individuals.

Effect of pregnancy on HIV disease progression and survival among women in rural Uganda.

Objective: To investigate the effect of pregnancy on HIV disease progression and survival among HIV-infected women in rural Uganda, prior to the introduction of anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

Methods: From a clinical cohort established in 1990, we selected records from HIV-infected women of reproductive age. We conducted two analyses: (1) all HIV-infected cases contributing to analysis of CD4 decline, using a linear regression model with random intercepts and slopes; (b) incident cases with known date of seroconversion contributed to analyses of median time to CD4 <200 cells/microl, AIDS and death.