AEGiS-13IAC: Release from prison is associated with increased HIV RNA at time of re-incarceration.

13th International AIDS Conference


Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

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Release from prison is associated with increased HIV RNA at time of re-incarceration.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. TuOrD323)

Stephenson B, Wohl D, Kiziah N, Rosen D, Ngo B, Merriman N, Kaplan A
B. Stephenson, University of North Carolina, Division of Infectious Diseases, CB# 7030, 547 Burnett-Womack Building, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-7030, United States, Tel.: +1 919 966 25 36, Fax: +1 919 966 67 14, E-mail: bls@med.unc.edu

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of release from prison on viral load (VL) in HIV-infected inmates

METHODS: Cases were defined as HIV positive inmates on HAART for at least 3 months before they were released and who were re-incarcerated. Controls were HIV positive inmates who remained incarcerated during the case's release period. Controls were matched to cases 2:1 based on pre-release VL, CD4, antiretroviral regimen and adherence. Adherence was determined by pharmacy medication refill records and medication assessment records of directly observed therapy.

RESULTS: Of the 15 cases, 60% had > 400 copies/ml HIV RNA and 93% had > 6000 copies/ml on release from prison. At the time of re-incarceration, only 33% of the cases remained > 400 copies/ml. In contrast, 88% of controls remained > 400 copies/ml throughout this period. The mean VL among cases increased by 117,093 copies/ml between release and re-incarceration and decreased by 3677 copies/ml in controls (p > .05 for the difference).

CONCLUSIONS: HIV positive individuals on HAART who are released from prison have significantly higher viral loads at the time of re-incarceration than those who remained in prison during this same time period. Release from prison may have an important impact on disease progression. These findings suggest that the follow-up of released inmates may be important in limiting disease progression and potentially transmission in at-risk communities.

Keywords: AEGIS, Prisons, HIV Infections, Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active, HIV Seropositivity, Viral Load, Prisoners, RNA, RNA, Viral, Antigens, CD4, Case-Control Studies, immunologyKWDaegis,prisons,hivinfections,antiretroviraltherapy,highlyactive,hivseropositivity,viralload,prisoners,rna,rna,viral,antigens,cd4,case-controlstudies,immunology
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TuOrD323

Copyright © 2000 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.