HIV Medical Treatment Employed by the Specialized Assistance Service in the University Hospital Lauro Wanderley at the Universidade Federal da Paraíba - Brasil

Abstract

SUMMARY This study aims at describing the type of HIV medical treatment employed by the Specialized Assistance Service in the University Hospital Lauro Wanderley at the Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brasil. The treatment consists in the combination of antiretroviral drugs with the medical care approach used to treat HIV positive pregnant women. It has proved to be highly efficient in the reduction of the HIV vertical transmission, achieving a level of 100% of non-infected children. This is a longitudinal, retrospective and descriptive study based on a quantitative approach. The information about the patients was collected from the PROGEST, currently Infantile-Maternal SAE, from April 1997 to April 2005. The model of clinical and psychosocial approach used with HIV-positive pregnant patients at the SAE/HULW/UFPB consists of (I) reception of the patient, (II) prophylaxis of the HIV vertical transmission together with combined antiretroviral during the prenatal period, (III) use of in injectable AZT before and during childbirth, and (IV) oral AZT therapy for the newborn infant. The service was established in April 1997 due to the increasing number of HIV/AIDS infected women in the state of the Paraíba. Until April 2005, 209 HIV-positive pregnant women had been assisted. Forty-five women were treated following the PACTG 076 and one hundred and sixty-four with the combined antiretroviral therapy (TARV). The result of the group which used the PACTG 076 and the one which used TARV combined was outstanding, since there was no child infected with the use of TARV combined and AZT during the delivery. However, with the use of the PACTG 076 during the prenatal and the delivery, two children were infected. The transmission level without intervention reaches 30%. The care model and the use of TARV combined made it possible to significantly reduce the HIV vertical transmission in the state of Paraíba. Thus, we recommend the employment of the medical care and the psychosocial approach used with HIV/AIDS-positive pregnant women because the model notably reduced the vertical transmission of the HIV and, consequently, the pediatric AIDS in the state of Paraiba, DESCRIPTORS HIV/AIDS, Vertical Transmission.