This retrospective observational study aims at the examination of regional differences in the procedure of referral for serological HIV testing between eastern (new) and western (old) German federal states.
Increasing incidence of HIV infections urges early recognition and timely introduction of therapy. Regional differences in referral approach and patient behavior are presumably associated with considerable delays in infection recognition and therapy onset. Comparison of records of new cases which were diagnosed in 2014 in several eastern federal states and a major western German city is expected to disclose whether the regionally preferred type of the primary care institution affects the time point of first diagnosis and the elapsed time since the emergence of the infection, as assessed by Cluster of Differentiation 4 positive (CD4+) lymphocyte counts and manifestation of clinical symptoms of immune deficiency.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
999
Review of medical records of patients diagnosed for the first time as HIV seropositivity
University Hospital Jena
Jena, Thuringia, Germany
Type of HIV-verifying medical institution
Medical Institution (university hospital, general practitioner, specialized medical office) which has diagnosed HIV seropositivity for the first time
Time frame: 1 day
CD4+ lymphocyte counts
Number of CD4+ lymphocytes at the time of HIV diagnosis
Time frame: 1 day
Symptoms of AIDS-related diseases
Presence of AIDS-related disease symptoms at the time of first HIV seropositivity diagnosis
Time frame: 1 day
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