we obtained data on persons with hiv / aids and tb from the national databank at the centers for disease control ( cdc taiwan ) of the department of health , taiwan .
coinfection with hiv and tb was defined as hiv infection in persons in whom tb was later diagnosed . a total of 660 persons with both hiv and tb were reported during 19932006 .
we used microsoft excel xp spreadsheet ( microsoft , redmond , wa , usa ) and sas version 9.1 ( sas institute inc . ,
the  goodness - of - fit test with type i error = 0.05 was used to examine differences in demographic , clinical , and behavioral characteristics of persons with hiv and tb coinfection during 19932006 .
multivariates for analysis were sex and age , results of sputum smear and sputum culture , pulmonary radiographic diagnosis , tb types ( extrapulmonary and nonextrapulmonary ) , mode of hiv transmission , sexual behavior , compliance with haart , and use of the surveillance system ( table 1 ) .
we used the kaplan - meier method ( 4 ) from sas to evaluate and compare the effect on survival rates of different factors in persons coinfected with hiv and tb 1 year after reported tb diagnosis . *
 goodness - of - fit test with type i error  =  0.05 used to examine differences in demographic , clinical , and behavioral characteristics . 
kaplan - meier analysis yielded the following results : 63% of persons coinfected with hiv and tb survived during 19931996 ; 78% survived during 19982000 ; and 93% survived during 20022006 ( p<0.0001 ) ( figure ) .
we then applied cox proportional hazards modeling ( 5 ) to each variable to assess the effect on survival rates after implementation of haart and the surveillance system .
age < 45 years , negative sputum smear , availability of free haart , and implementation of the national surveillance system substantially increased survival rates of persons coinfected with hiv and tb ( table 2 ) .
kaplan - meier analysis of survival of hiv - infected patients with tuberculosis in taiwan during 3 different periods : before free highly active antiretroviral therapy ( haart ) was available ( 19931996 , black line ) ; b ) after free haart was available but before the national web - based reporting and management surveillance system was implemented ( 19982000 , red line ) ; and c ) after free haart and the surveillance system were available ( 20022006 , blue line ) .
many factors can increase survival rates of hiv - infected persons , such as haart ( 69 ) , prevention of opportunistic infections , patient attitude , healthcare worker knowledge , and promotion of health education .
our data indicate that national web - based surveillance reporting and management , coupled with the availability of free haart , increase survival rates of persons coinfected with hiv and tb ( p<0.0001 ) .
taiwan s national web - based surveillance system enables healthcare workers to follow , record , and understand the conditions of patients without geographic limitations .
physicians , public health nurses , health administrators , and other healthcare professionals in local through federal government agencies can use the system to follow up and manage the condition of persons coinfected with hiv and tb .
for example , public health nurses from national healthcare centers visit such patients regularly , record treatments , and assess their conditions and compliance with therapy ; staff from central health department monitor and supervise the condition of each patient through the system . in this way
, the system may increase patients compliance and thus their survival rates ( 1014 ) .
 in 1997 , taiwan made highly active antiretroviral therapy ( haart ) available without cost to hiv - infected persons ; in 2001 , a national web - based surveillance system was implemented . 
 healthcare workers use the system to monitor patients ' conditions and can intervene when necessary . 
 free haart , coupled with the surveillance system , appears to have increased survival rates of hiv - infected persons with tuberculosis in taiwan . 
The Study
Conclusion