OBJECTIVES to compare overall survival in HIV-associated lymphoma (HIV-L) and lymphoma raising in HIV-negative population (nHIV-L) and to identify predictors of increased risk of death. METHODS All HIV+ patients with HIV-associated lymphoma (Hodgkin lymphoma, HL; non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, NHL) observed between 1.2000 and 12.2013 in the ICONA Foundation Study cohort or in three collaborating centr...

BACKGROUND Time of starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) after diagnosis of specific AIDS-defining event (ADE) is a crucial aspect. Objectives of this study were to evaluate if in patients diagnosed with ADE the time to ART initiation may vary according to year of diagnosis and type of ADE. METHODS All HIV+ persons diagnosed with an ADE over the 6 months prior to or after enrolment in the Ico...

BACKGROUND In vitro, gp120 of both X4 and R5 HIV-1 strains activates human hepatic stellate cells, but if it can promote liver fibrosis in vivo is unknown. We aimed to evaluate if patients carrying X4 or R5 strains have a different liver fibrosis (LF) progression over time. METHODS A total of 1,137 HIV-infected patients in ICONA cohort (21% females, 7% HCV co-infected) with an available deter...

BACKGROUND Although the kinetics of CD4(+) cell counts have been extensively studied in antiretroviral-naive HIV-infected patients, data on individuals who have failed combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) are lacking. METHODS This analysis was based on the ICONA Foundation Study. Subjects with > or = 1 episode of viral suppression after starting first-line cART were included (n = 3537). ...

BACKGROUND There are no data comparing the response to PI/r-based regimens in people presenting for care with low CD4 counts or AIDS (LC). AIM To compare the response to LPV/r-, DRV/r- or ATV/r-based cART regimens in LC initiating cART from ART-naive. METHODS We included people enrolled in Icona with either CD4 counts ≤350 cells/mm3 (low CD4-LC) or CD4 counts ≤200 cells/mm3 (very low CD4-VL...

BACKGROUND In clinical trials, toxicity leading to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) discontinuation is rare (3% by 2 years); however in clinical practice it seems to be higher, particularly when TDF is co-administered with ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors (PI/r). Aims of this study were to assess the rate of TDF discontinuations in clinical practice and to identify factors associated wi...

INTRODUCTION In clinical trials, toxicity leading to discontinuation of tenofovir (TDF) is a rare occurrence (3% by two years)[1, 2]; however, in clinical practice it seems to be higher. Previous studies suggested that TDF toxicity is higher when it is co-administered with ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors (PI/r)[3, 4]. The aim of this study is to assess the rate of TDF discontinuations in ...

BACKGROUND We evaluated whether immune activation (IA) and microbial translocation (MT) might play a role in accelerating liver disease progression in HIV-HBV/HCV co-infected patients. METHODS ART-naïve HIV/viral hepatitis co-infected patients from Icona with a CD4 cell count >200/μl and with a known date of prior HIV neg/pos tests and ≥1 plasma sample stored were included in the study. Plasm...

INTRODUCTION Aim of the study was to evaluate possible disparities in access and/or risk of virological failure (VF) to the first antiretroviral (ART) regimen for migrants compared to Italian-born patients and to assess determinants of failure for the migrants living with HIV. METHODS All native and migrant naïve patients enrolled in ICONA in 2004-2014 were included. Firstly, variables associ...

BACKGROUND Identification of the determinants of access to investigational drugs is important to promote equity and scientific validity in clinical research. We aimed to analyze factors associated with the use of experimental antiretrovirals in Italy. METHODS We studied participants in the Italian Cohort of Antiretroviral-Naive Patients (ICoNA). All patients 18 years or older who had started ...