Incidence rate and risk factors for loss to follow-up in HIV-infected patients from five French clinical centres in Northern France - January 1997 to December 2006.

Background: Our goal was to determine the incidence rate and risk factors for loss to follow-up (LTFU) of HIV-infected patients in Northern France.

Methods: We estimated the incidence rate of LTFU in 1,007 HIV-infected patients under care from January 1997 to December 2006. We then investigated potential risk factors for LTFU at inclusion and during follow-up.

Characteristics of and outcomes in HIV-infected patients who return to care after loss to follow-up.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of and outcomes in HIV-infected patients who returned to care after loss to follow-up (LTFU) in Northern France, between 1997 and 2006. Among the 1007 patients who were followed, 135 patients (13.4%) were LTFU during the study period.