OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between the introduction of HAART and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in HIV-infected patients.

METHODS

Incidence of IPD was determined from 1990 to 2003 in a cohort of HIV-infected individuals and a nested case-control study assessed risk factors of IPD.

RESULTS

There were 72 cases over 19,020 person-years of follow-up (overall IPD rate, 379/100,000 person-years). In the calendar periods 1990-1995, 1995-1998, and 1998-2003, the IPD incidence per 100,000 person-years was 279 [95% confidence interval (CI), 150-519], 377 (95% CI, 227-625) and 410 (95% CI, 308-545), respectively (P = 0.516). CD4 cell count < 200 cells/microl [odds ratio (OR), 3.0; 95% CI, 1.2-7.6), HIV RNA > 50,000 copies/ml (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2-6.5), hepatitis C (OR, 4.9; 95% CI, 1.7-14.9), serum albumin (OR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.04-0.5), injection drug use in women (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.6-8.8), and education beyond high school (OR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.05-0.8) were significantly associated with IPD in multivariate analysis. No treatment factor, including HAART (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.3-1.5) and pneumococcal vaccination (OR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.5-1.6), was associated with IPD.

CONCLUSIONS

IPD incidence did not change significantly during the widespread dissemination of HAART in this cohort. IPD risk was associated with several sociodemographic and clinical factors.