Obejective  To explore the characteristics and its relevant factors of antiretroviral therapy-naïve patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Fujian province.

  Methods  We recruited all HIV/AIDS patients registered from January 1st, 1987 through 2016 in Fujian province and conducted a questionnaire survey to collect information on basic demographics, disease status, CD4 cell test, and antiretroviral therapy among the participants. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to identify influencing factors of antiretroviral therapy.

  Results  There were 4 054 registered antiretroviral therapy-naïve HIV/AIDS cases, accounting for 37.6% of the all HIV/AIDS cases registered during the period. Totally 1 274 deaths (31.4%) were reported among the all registered therapy-naïve HIV/AIDS cases and 27.5% of the death cases were reported within the first month of case registry. The average CD4 cell count was 439.97 ± 245.93 cells/μL among the therapy-naïve HIV/AIDS cases, significantly higher than that （283.73 ± 196.06 cells/μL） among the cases with antiretroviral therapy (t = 29.985, P < 0.01). Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis indicated that promoting factors for the registered HIV/AIDS cases to receive antiretroviral therapy included female gender (odds ratio OR = 1.244, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 1.079 – 1.434), aged 35 – 44 years (OR = 1.249, 95% CI: 1.059 – 1.474), aged 45 – 54 years (OR = 1.420, 95% CI: 1.177 – 1.712), with the education of senior high school or technical secondary school (OR = 1.369, 95% CI: 1.062 – 1.764), with the education of junior college and above (OR = 1.526, 95% CI: 1.175 – 1.983), diagnosed with AIDS (OR = 4.370, 95% CI: 3.597 – 5.309), with a CD4 cell count of 200 – 349 cells/μL (OR = 2.800, 95% CI: 2.238 – 3.503), with a CD4 cell count of 350 – 499 cells/μL (OR = 1.400, 95% CI: 1.115 – 1.758); while the hindering factors were being registered in and after 2016 (OR = 0.207, 95% CI: 0.165 – 0.259), having a CD4 cell count detection within 3 – 6 months after the confirmation of HIV positive (OR = 0.689, 95% CI: 0.568 – 0.836) and within 6 months and after (OR = 0.446, 95% CI: 0.367 – 0.541), and with a CD4 cell count of ≥ 500 cells/μL (OR = 0.445, 95% CI: 0.355 – 0.556).

  Conclusion  The proportion of antiretroviral therapy-naïve patients was high among the registered HIV/AIDS patients in Fujian province, suggesting strategies specific to factors related to implementation of antiretroviral therapy should be developed to promote antiretroviral therapy in the patients.