The group highlighted the need for a common definition

of late presentation. The HIV in Europe initiative provides a European platform for exchange and activities to encourage early diagnosis and earlier care of HIV-infected patients across Europe (http://www.hiveurope.eu). The initiative has since 2007 gathered key European constituencies (civil society, health professionals and health policy makers) to discuss the prevailing obstacles to earlier diagnosis of HIV infection. As the HIV in Europe initiative focuses on attempts AG-014699 solubility dmso to ensure that HIV-infected patients enter care earlier in the course of their infection than is currently the case, the use of diverse definitions of late presentation was already identified as a major limitation in 2007 when attempting to obtain a precise estimate of the size of the problem, and when attempting to understand trends in this estimate over time. The consensus definition was reached in October 2009 and presented at the HIV in Europe 2009 Conference in the Nobel Forum in Stockholm and at the EACS Conference in Cologne in November 2009, where the consensus definition appeared in several presentations [21,22]. As a premise for the definition, it was agreed that, while the definition should be valid for identifying persons at particularly increased risk of clinical disease progression, it should also help to improve surveillance and satisfy public health needs. Two definitions were agreed

upon, as follows. find more selleck screening library Late presentation: Persons presenting for care with a CD4 count below 350 cells/μL or presenting with an AIDS-defining event, regardless of the CD4 cell count. The term ‘late presentation’ should be used to refer to all HIV-infected people who enter care at a stage of their disease where current guidelines suggest that they are unable to fully benefit from ART. In contrast, the term ‘presentation with advanced HIV disease’ should be reserved for the subgroup of these late presenters who are additionally at greater imminent risk of severe disease and death. As such, patients with a CD4 count

<200 cells/μL will meet both criteria and will be both ‘late presenters’ and ‘presenters with advanced HIV disease’. Furthermore, any person with an AIDS-defining condition will also meet both criteria, regardless of his/her CD4 cell count. Of note, the term ‘presentation for care’ means attendance at a health care facility that is able to monitor progression of HIV infection and initiate appropriate medical care, including ART, as appropriate. Diagnosis of HIV infection alone does not signify presentation for care. It is recognized, and highly important to ensure, that earlier diagnosis of HIV infection is linked to appropriate access to care. Although not necessary for the classification of late presenters, it is advisable to repeat the CD4 cell count because of laboratory variability in its measurement, and the fact that some individuals with certain conditions (e.g.