OBJECTIVETo compare the survival effect of initiation of antiretroviral treatment on AIDS patients at different stages so as to explore the best time of initiation with the treatment.

METHODSInformation regarding the dates of AIDS patient initially receiving the anti-retroviral therapy during 2007-2012 was collected from the Chinese HIV/AIDS Integrated Control System. According to the level of baseline immunology, all the participants were divided into earlier treatment group (baseline CD4(+) T cell counts between 350/µl and 500/µl) and conventional treatment group (baseline CD4(+) T cell counts ≤350/µl). Data was analyzed under Survival and Review methods.

RESULTSA total number of 16 282 cases were selected. The mortality of conventional treatment group was obviously higher than the earlier treatment group (5.78/100 person year vs. 1.64/100 person year), and the median survival time was lower than the earlier treatment group (2.07 year vs. 3.15 year). The cumulative survival rate of the 6-year conventional treatment group was lower than the earlier treatment group (77.39% vs. 92.10%, χ(2) = 156.00, P < 0.01). By means of multi-variable analysis, we found that factors as age, gender, marital status, route of transmission, schedule on initial therapy, number of symptoms at the baseline etc. in the conventional treatment group were associated with survival time of patients after the ART initiation (P < 0.05), while gender, schedule for initial therapy, number of symptoms at baseline etc. in the earlier treatment group, were associated with survival time of patients after the initiation of ART (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEarlier initiation of antiretroviral treatment on AIDS patients could improve the survival rate and prolong the survival time.