{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.05167785234899329, 'fraction_numerical': 0.05167785234899329, 'mean_word_length': 4.712643678160919, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 4, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Incidence and risk factors of nevirapine-associated skin rashes among HIV-infected patients with CD4 cell counts <250 cells/μL

The objective of the study was to determine cumulative incidence and risk factors of nevirapine (NVP)-associated rashes that lead to NVP discontinuation among HIV-infected patients with CD4 <250 cells/μL. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among antiretroviral-naïve HIV-infected patients who had baseline CD4 <250 cells/μL and were initiated NVP-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) between January 2003 and October 2005. There were 910 patients with a mean age of 35.4 years and 43% were women. Median CD4 cell count was 27 cells/μL and median HIV RNA was 5.5 log copies/mL. Cumulative incidences of rashes at 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 6 months after ART were 3.7%, 6.2%, 8.1%, 8.5% and 8.5%, respectively. By Kaplan–Meier analysis, the higher baseline CD4 cell counts had a higher probability of NVP-associated rashes (log-rank test, P=0.041). By Cox regression analysis, higher baseline CD4 cell count was associated with a higher incidence of rashes (hazard ratio=1.244, 95% confidence interval=1.045–1.482, for every 50 cells/μL increment of baseline CD4 stratum). In conclusion, NVP-associated skin rashes that lead to NVP discontinuation are common among HIV-infected patients with baseline CD4 <250 cells/μL. Despite the low baseline in this population, the higher number of baseline CD4 cells is continuously associated with a higher risk for skin rashes.