Grupo del Hospital Universitario Donostia (Guipúzcoa)

The research group on AIDS and HIV infection at the Donostia University Hospital began its research activity in the 1990s, initially participating in clinical trials and collaborative studies with various groups, especially GESIDA. In 2004, our group was already part of the first AIDS Research Network, where has stayed until present. We currently follow-up approximately 1,500 HIV-infected patients and we are involved in the improvement of our patients care through clinical research within a sustainable framework. In this regard, the key areas of interest of our group are four:

• Epidemiological studies in the cohort of HIV-infected patients, with special interest in survival and related factors; as well as in opportunistic infections, comorbidity, aging and new forms of care.
• Antiretroviral treatment and its complications, with participation throughout the last years in more than 50 antiretroviral clinical trials.
• Hepatitis virus coinfection, working with other groups of the country in collaborative efforts led with the endorsement of CoRIS or GESIDA.
• Prevention of late diagnosis and HIV infection.

Regarding our scientific production itself or directly led by our group, it should be noted the doctoral theses. The defended theses are the following: 

• Natural history of HIV infection in Gipuzkoa (1990)
• AIDS: clinical-epidemiological aspects, survival analysis and prognostic factors (1990)
• Viral load rebound in patients with HIV infection: magnitude of the problem, associated factors and risk of virological failure (2016)

We are currently performing three doctoral theses:

• Mortality and the factors correlated with it in HAART era, analyzing factors poorly studied until now such as temporary follow-up losses
• Comorbidity in the HIV-infected patient
• Historical evolution of the treatment of hepatitis C virus chronic infection in a cohort of patients from Donostia University Hospital co-infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).