OBJECTIVETo investigate the predictors that reduced the survival time on HIV positive TB patients during their first year's anti-TB therapy.

METHODSA retrospective study was conducted to review 519 TB/HIV co-infection patients from an Internet based TB surveillance system. We collected information of demography, HIV status, CD4+ lymphocytes count, antiretroviral therapy (ART), sputum smear results of diagnosis and around 2 months' initiation of anti-TB therapy, et al. Wilconxon rank sum test was used to compare the difference of age and CD4+ lymphocytes, count and Cox Uni-variable, and Multi-variable analysis were used to compare the different distribution of rest of risk elements between the groups of death and survival; survival function also has been used to evaluate the top 4 risk elements that have made negative impact on the survival time of HIV positive TB patients during their first year's anti-TB therapy.

RESULTSAmong 519 TB/HIV patients, 84 (16.18%) were dead, 435 (83.82%) survived. Median age (P50 (P25-P75)) in survival was 51.0 (41.0-65.0), while in death was 45.0 (35.0-60.0) (U=-2.68, P=0.007). There was significant difference between survival and death. Median CD4+ lymphocyte count in survival and death (P50 (P25-P75)) were 69.00 (26.00-131.20) and 114.50 (35.00-245.00), respectively, significant difference also has been observed. Based on the Cox analysis, patients with less than 2 months' intensive anti-TB therapy, poor treatment adherence, less than 4 months continue anti-TB therapy and sputum smear positive around 2 months initiation of anti-TB therapy had higher risk of death, the Relative Risk value (RR) were 1 100.40 (95% CI: 105.62-11,470.00), 52.91 (95% CI: 27.42-102.13), 49.43 (95% CI: 6.38-382.81), and 15.83 (95% CI: 2.55-98.40), respectively. Log-rank test results showed that there were significant difference between survival and death groups with anti-TB intensive therapy duration (Log-Rank value was 236.0, P<0.001), adherence (Log-Rank value was 302.9, P<0.001), and sputum smear results around 2 months' anti-TB initiation (Log-Rank value was 7.55, P=0.006).

CONCLUSIONKnown HIV positive, less CD4+ lymphocyte count, not initiation of ART, sputum smear positive, around 2 months' initiation of anti-TB therapy, not enough anti-TB therapy duration of intensive and continue period and poor treatment adherence were the predictors of death of HIV positive TB patients in the first year's anti-TB therapy.

Anti-HIV Agents ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Coinfection ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; HIV Infections ; Humans ; Life Expectancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tuberculosis