Crack cocaine use increases the incidence of AIDS-defining events in French Guiana.

Abstract

We conducted a retrospective cohort study to determine the influence of crack cocaine use on the outcomes of HIV infection. The use of crack cocaine was associated with an increased incidence of AIDS: 27.8 per 100 person-years versus 6.6 per 100 person-years for nonusers, adjusted hazard ratio = 3.8 (1.9-7.5), P < 0.001. More specifically, crack users had a greater incidence of disseminated histoplasmosis, pneumocystosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, bacterial pneumonia, oesophageal candidiasis, cerebral toxoplasmosis, salmonellosis, and genital herpes. The care of HIV-infected crack users is particularly challenging and requires additional efforts to reduce the high morbidity of these patients.

• Authors: Mathieu Nacher, Antoine Adenis, Matthieu Hanf, Leila Adriouch, Vincent Vantilcke, Myriam El Guedj, Tania Vaz, Julie Dufour, Pierre Couppié
• Journal: AIDS (London, England) (AIDS) Vol. 23 Issue 16 Pg. 2223-6 (Oct 23 2009) ISSN: 1473-5571 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19752716 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Crack Cocaine

Topics

• Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
• Cocaine-Related Disorders (complications, mortality)
• Crack Cocaine (adverse effects)
• Disease Progression
• Female
• French Guiana (epidemiology)
• HIV Infections (complications, drug therapy, mortality)
• Humans
• Incidence
• Male
• Retrospective Studies
• Viral Load