Araya A X, Norr K F, Pérez C M, Levy J A, Park C G, Kim M J
Department of Women's Health, School of Nursing, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
AIDS Care. 2013;25(4):488-95. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2012.714457. Epub 2012 Aug 22.
Identifying both Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related and co-morbid symptoms experienced by people living with HIV (PLWH) who are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment is a major challenge for healthcare providers globally. Yet, little research to date has examined the symptoms of illness experienced by PLWH including patients living in Central and South American. To address this gap, this study was designed to identify symptoms of HIV by socio-demographic and/or clinical characteristics among Chilean patients living with the virus. A convenience sample of 209 Chilean PLWH was recruited from an outpatient clinic in Santiago, Chile. A structured interview was used to elicit socio-demographic information and HIV symptoms status. Additional clinical information was obtained through a review of the participants' medical records. Results show that patients' most commonly reported HIV-related symptoms were fear/worries (66%), anxiety (52%), gas/bloating (50%), and thirst (50%). Multivariate analysis revealed a positive association between the number of reported HIV-related symptoms and number of years living with HIV. Having completed college was negatively associated with number of symptoms. Latent class analysis indicated that PLWH in the sample who had completed college were two times more likely to experience a mild intensity of HIV-related symptoms than their lesser educated counterparts. Similarly, logistic regression revealed that college-educated PLWH were twice as likely to be classified in the subgroup reporting mild intensity of symptoms than those who lacked a college degree. Overall, the study's results reveal that many Chilean PLWH, even those with high CD4 counts and low or undetectable viral loads, are not symptom free. The findings point to the need for clinicians to tailor a plan of care for individuals living with HIV that is based on their symptomatology.
识别接受抗逆转录病毒疗法（ART）治疗的艾滋病毒感染者（PLWH）所经历的与人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）相关的症状和共病症状，是全球医疗服务提供者面临的一项重大挑战。然而，迄今为止，几乎没有研究调查过PLWH所经历的疾病症状，包括生活在中美洲和南美洲的患者。为了填补这一空白，本研究旨在按社会人口统计学和/或临床特征识别智利艾滋病毒感染者的HIV症状。从智利圣地亚哥的一家门诊诊所招募了209名智利PLWH的便利样本。采用结构化访谈来获取社会人口统计学信息和HIV症状状况。通过查阅参与者的病历获得了更多临床信息。结果显示，患者最常报告的与HIV相关的症状是恐惧/担忧（66%）、焦虑（52%）、肠胃胀气（50%）和口渴（50%）。多变量分析显示，报告的与HIV相关症状的数量与感染HIV的年数之间存在正相关。完成大学学业与症状数量呈负相关。潜在类别分析表明，样本中完成大学学业的PLWH出现与HIV相关症状的轻度强度的可能性是受教育程度较低的PLWH的两倍。同样，逻辑回归显示，受过大学教育的PLWH被归类为报告症状轻度强度亚组的可能性是未获得大学学位者的两倍。总体而言，该研究结果表明，许多智利PLWH，即使是那些CD4细胞计数高、病毒载量低或检测不到的患者，也并非没有症状。研究结果表明，临床医生需要根据HIV感染者的症状制定个性化的护理计划。
