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. 2017 Nov 13;14(1):60.
doi: 10.1186/s12981-017-0186-3.

Hospitalization causes and outcomes in HIV patients in the late antiretroviral era in Colombia

María Fernanda Álvarez Barreneche  1 , Carlos Andrés Restrepo Castro  2   3 , Alicia Hidrón Botero  2   4   5 , Juan Pablo Villa Franco  2 , Ivan Mauricio Trompa Romero  3 , Laura Restrepo Carvajal  2 , Alejandro Eusse García  2 , Adriana Ocampo Mesa  6 , Lina María Echeverri Toro  6   7 , Glenys Patricia Porras Fernández de Castro  8 , Jaime Mauricio Ramírez Rivera  6   7 , Carlos Andrés Agudelo Restrepo  2   6   9
Affiliations

Hospitalization causes and outcomes in HIV patients in the late antiretroviral era in Colombia

María Fernanda Álvarez Barreneche et al. AIDS Res Ther. .

Abstract

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has modified the natural history of HIV-infection: the incidence of opportunistic infections (OIs) has decreased and mortality associated to HIV has improved dramatically. The reasons for hospitalization have changed; OIs are no longer the most common reason for admission. This study describes the patient population, admission diagnosis and hospital course of HIV patients in Colombia in the ART era.

Methods: Patients admitted with HIV/AIDS at six hospitals in Medellin, Colombia between August 1, 2014 and July 31, 2015 were included. Demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were prospectively collected.

Results: 551 HIV-infected patients were admitted: 76.0% were male, the median age was 37 (30-49). A new diagnosis of HIV was made in 22.0% of patients during the index admission. 56.0% of patients of the entire cohort had been diagnosed with HIV for more than 1 year and 68.9% were diagnosed in an advanced stage of the disease. More than 50.0% of patients had CD4 counts less than 200 CD4 cells/μL and viral loads greater than 100,000 copies. The main reasons for hospital admissions were OIs, tuberculosis, esophageal candidiasis and Toxoplasma encephalitis. The median hospital stay was 14 days (IQR 8-23). Admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) was required in 10.3% of patients and 14.3% were readmitted to the hospital; mortality was 5.4%.

Conclusions: Similar to other countries in the developing world, in Colombia, the leading cause of hospitalization among HIV-infected patients remain opportunistic infections. However, in-hospital mortality was low, similar to those described for high-income countries. Strategies to monitor and optimize the adherence and retention in HIV programs are fundamental to maximize the benefit of ART.

Keywords: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adherence; Antiretroviral; Hospitalization; Human immunodeficiency virus; Opportunistic infections.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
HIV patients hospitalized in Medellín, Colombia from August 2014 to July 2015
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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