Dyslipidaemia in HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy. Analysis of 922 patients from the Spanish VACH cohort.

Background: Information concerning lipid disturbances in HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is scarce. The objective of the study is to describe the lipid profile in a large cohort of HIV-infected women on contemporary ART and analyse differences between regimes and patient's characteristics.

Methods: Observational, multicentre, cross-sectional study from the Spanish VACH Cohort.

Factors associated with liver fibrosis in intravenous drug users coinfected with HIV and HCV.

Background: Reliable non-invasive methods for the evaluation of liver fibrosis are desirable, and the risk factors associated with fibrosis are not fully identified.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of a cohort of 805 HIV-HCV-coinfected patients with active HCV replication, most (95.2%) of whom were intravenous drug users, was conducted.

Effectiveness and safety of didanosine, lamivudine and efavirenz versus zidovudine, lamivudine and efavirenz for the initial treatment of HIV-infected patients from the Spanish VACH cohort.

Background: Preliminary data suggest that a once-daily combination of lamivudine, didanosine and efavirenz is an effective alternative regimen for antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients. However, data from randomized trials comparing this combination versus standard first-line regimens are not available yet. In an observational study, we analyse the efficacy and tolerability of didanosine plus lamivudine and efavirenz versus zidovudine plus lamivudine and efavirenz in a cohort of therapy naive patients.

[Delayed diagnosis of HIV infection in the Spanish VACH cohort [1997-2002]].

Objective: To study the prevalence of delayed diagnosis of HIV infection and associated factors.

Methods: A cross sectional study of patients included in the Spanish VACH cohort who had been diagnosed with HIV infection between 1997 and 2002 was performed. Delayed diagnosis was defined as patients diagnosed with HIV infection and AIDS simultaneously or within the first month after the first positive serologic test, or those with a first CD4+ cell count below 200/ml.