Incidence and predictive factors of depression among patients with HIV infection in Guadeloupe: 1988-2009.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to determine the incidence and the predictive factors of depression in a cohort of 2737 HIV/AIDS-infected patients in Guadeloupe followed for a total of 8402 patient-years. The incidence rate of first observed depression was 2.2 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9-2.6). A single failure Cox proportional hazards model showed that the 1997-2000 inclusion period (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.10-2.40;p = 0.01), the 2001-2009 inclusion period (HR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.02-2.40;p = 0.04), the more advanced CDC stage (HR = 2.30; 95% CI = 1.30-3.10;p = 0.000) and the annual frequency of visits > 10 (HR = 2.30; 95% CI = 1.70-3.30;p = 0.000) were associated with an increased risk of depression. Incidence of depression in this HIV cohort was high and the hazard function showed three peaks of depression (2, 7 and 12 years). Physicians should be vigilant to psychological distress throughout life with HIV.