Anis AH, Sun H, Nosyk B, Palepu A, Guh D, Vinduska B; International Conference on AIDS (15th : 2004 : Bangkok, Thailand).

Int Conf AIDS. 2004 Jul 11-16; 15: abstract no. TuPeC4943.

Canadian HIV Trials Network, Vancouver, Canada

Background: The objective is to evaluate the impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on readmission rates among HIV+ patients who have been hospitalized in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Methods: All patients admitted to a specialized HIV/AIDS ward at St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, between April 1997 and October 2002 who were eligible for ART treatment (provided free of charge) were selected. Each patient's first admission to the HIV/AIDS ward was classified as the index admission, at which time patients were categorized as being on ART or not. All patients were followed for one year. Readmission frequency and total length of stay (LOS) in the follow-up period were calculated. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison of readmission frequency and LOS, while log-rank test was used to compare the time form index admission (discharge date) to the first readmission. Results: A total of 993 patients (mean age 40 years, 82% male) eligible for ART, (38% were receiving ART) were selected for the study. Patients on ART were less frequently readmitted to the HIV ward (mean frequency 0.54 vs. 0.74, p = 0.0024), had shorter mean LOS (8 vs. 12 days, p = 0.0034), and had a longer time to readmission (p = 0.0042) in one year of follow up. Results did not change significantly after adjusting for illicit drug use (p=0.0096). Among 620 patients who were not on ART in the index admission, 4% were not offered treatment, 13% were intolerant, 21% refused/discontinued, 2% were about to start, 6% were not on treatment due to other reasons and 54% had unknown reasons for not taking ART. Conclusion Eligible HIV-infected patients who were not on ART had a higher incidence of readmission and utilized more hospital resources overall compared to those on therapy. Thus improving ART uptake among HIV+ patients has the potential to achieve clinical benefits and reduce hospitalization costs.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
• Canada
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Hospitalization
• Humans
• Incidence
• Male
• Patient Discharge
• Statistics, Nonparametric
• drug therapy
• therapy

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0038539

UI: 102282755

From Meeting Abstracts