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One-Year Follow-Up of Relapse to Risky Behaviors and Incidence of Syphilis Among Patients Enrolled in the HIV Case Management Program

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Abstract

A longitudinal prospective study was conducted at an AIDS designated hospital in Taiwan. The study aimed to determine the incidence of syphilis and to identify risk factors predicting new onset syphilis and relapse into risky behaviors among 117 patients enrolled in the HIV case management program for 1 year. Having a new episode of syphilis was defined as patients had a fourfold increase of serum rapid plasma reagin titers from baseline to 12-month follow-up. After enrollment, 17% relapsed in unprotected sexual intercourse. New onset syphilis was noted in ten (10.4%) participants, and all were men having sex with men. The incidence of syphilis was 5.8 per 100 person-years. Predictors of a new episode of syphilis were higher CD4 cell counts [hazard ratio (HR), 1.003; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.00–1.006], and recreational drug use (HR, 18.89; 95% CI, 2.78–128.15). Regular screening for syphilis among patients retaining in HIV care remains necessary.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all participants in the study. We are grateful to laboratory staffs, including Lin-Wun Mao, Ya-Li Wang, and acknowledge Associate Professor Susan J. Fetzer, MBA, RN, PhD, for her reviews of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

    Nai-Ying Ko, Hsiao-Ying Liu & Yi-Yin Lai

  2. Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

    Hsin-Chun Lee & Wen-Chien Ko

  3. Department of Nursing, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan

    Nai-Ying Ko, Hsiao-Ying Liu & Yi-Yin Lai

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, No. 138, Sheng Li Road, 704, Tainan, Taiwan

    Hsin-Chun Lee, Chia-Ming Chang, Nan-Yao Lee, Po-Lin Chen, Chi-Jung Wu & Wen-Chien Ko

  5. Centre of Infection Control, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan

    Nai-Ying Ko, Hsiao-Ying Liu, Hsin-Chun Lee, Yi-Yin Lai, Chia-Ming Chang, Nan-Yao Lee, Po-Lin Chen, Chi-Jung Wu & Wen-Chien Ko

  6. Division of Clinical Research/Infectious Diseases, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan

    Chi-Jung Wu

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  1. Nai-Ying Ko
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Correspondence to Wen-Chien Ko.

Additional information

Nai-Ying Ko and Hsiao-Ying Liu contributed equally to this study.

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Ko, NY., Liu, HY., Lee, HC. et al. One-Year Follow-Up of Relapse to Risky Behaviors and Incidence of Syphilis Among Patients Enrolled in the HIV Case Management Program. AIDS Behav 15, 1067–1074 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9841-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9841-6

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