Document 2633
 DOCN  M94A2633
 TI    Survival of German HIV-infected injecting drug users with and without
       methadone. GASG (German AIDS Study Group).
 DT    9412
 AU    Baumgarten R; Helm EB; Arasteh K; Sadri I; Brockmeyer NH; Bogner JR;
       Medizinische Poliklinik, Munich, Germany.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):26 (abstract no. 078C). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94369942
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of methadone-substitution
       therapy on survival from a first CD4-count below 200/microliters to
       death taking into account additional antiretroviral therapy (mainly
       zidovudine). METHODS/PATIENTS: Multicenter longitudinal (retrospective)
       analysis of 616 IDU observed in 20 German AIDS treatment centers.
       Grouping was performed according to treatment (see figure). Group 1 n =
       103, group 2 n = 66, group 3 n = 254, group 4 n = 193. Survival analysis
       was performed using Kaplan Meier estimates. Baseline CD4 levels did not
       differ significantly between groups (98-117/microliters). RESULTS: see
       figure; CONCLUSIONS: Using an observational retrospective analysis and
       being well aware of possible bias resulting from this method we found
       that methadone use as compared to no methadone resulted in significantly
       longer survival (from < 200/microliters CD4 to death), but only in
       patients simultaneously receiving antiretroviral therapy. TABULAR DATA,
       SEE ABSTRACT VOLUME.
 DE    Germany/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Human  HIV Infections/DRUG THERAPY/*MORTALITY
       Longitudinal Studies  Methadone/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Retrospective Studies
       Substance Abuse, Intravenous/*DRUG THERAPY  Survival Analysis
       Zidovudine/*THERAPEUTIC USE  MEETING ABSTRACT  MULTICENTER STUDY

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