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Abstract
BACKGROUND There are few methodologic examples of how multiple causes of death may be summarized in cause-specific mortality analyses to address limitations of attributing death to a single underlying cause. We propose a cause-of-death weighting approach to estimate the set of risk functions of specific causes of mortality using both underlying and contributing cause-of-death information. METHODS We constructed weights according to a user-specified function. Using data from four southern US human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clinics, we constructed a cause of death-weighted Aalen-Johansen estimator of the cumulative incidence function to estimate risks of five specific causes of mortality in the full sample and by injection drug use history. RESULTS Among 7740 HIV-positive patients initiating antiretroviral therapy between 1999 and 2014, the 8-year risk of all-cause mortality was 17.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 16.5, 18.4]. The cause of death-weighted risk of HIV-related mortality was 6.7% (95% CI = 6.0, 7.3) and accounted for 39% (95% CI = 35, 42) of total mortality risk. This compared with 10.2% (95% CI = 9.2, 11.2) using only the underlying cause, in which case HIV-related deaths accounted for nearly 60% of total mortality risk. The proportion attributable to cardiovascular disease among those whose HIV risk factor was injection drug use was twice as high using cause-of-death weights compared with only the underlying cause (8%; 95% CI = 5, 11 vs 4%; 95% CI = 1, 6). CONCLUSION Using cause of death-weighted estimators to incorporate multiple causes of death may yield different conclusions regarding the importance of certain causes of mortality. See video abstract: http://links.lww.com/EDE/B706.
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Lines J, Lewis P. Accuracy of Antiretroviral Prescribing in a Community Teaching Hospital: A Medication Use Evaluation. J Pharm Pract 2019; 34:103-109. [PMID: 31256704 DOI: 10.1177/0897190019857842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medication errors account for nearly 250 000 deaths in the United States annually, with approximately 60% of errors occurring during transitions of care. Previous studies demonstrated that almost 80% of participants with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have experienced a medication error related to their antiretroviral therapy (ART). OBJECTIVE This retrospective chart review examines propensity and type of ART-related errors and further seeks to identify risk factors associated with higher error rates. METHODS Participants were identified as hospitalized adults ≥18 years old with preexisting HIV diagnosis receiving home ART from July 2015 to June 2017. Medication error categories included delays in therapy, dosing errors, scheduling conflicts, and miscellaneous errors. Logistic regression was used to examine risk factors for medication errors. RESULTS Mean age was 49 years, 76.5% were men, and 72.1% used hospital-supplied medication. For the primary outcome, 60.3% (41/68) of participants had at least 1 error, with 31.3% attributed to delays in therapy. Logistic regression demonstrated multiple tablet regimens (odds ratio [OR]: 3.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-9.48, P = .019) and serum creatinine (SCr) ≥1.5 mg/dL (OR: 8.87, 95% CI: 1.07-73.45, P = .043) were predictive for risk of medication errors. Regimens with significant drug-drug interactions (eg, cobicistat-containing regimens) were not significantly associated with increased risk of medication errors. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE ART-related medication error rates remain prevalent and exceeded 60%. Independent risk factors for medication errors include use of multiple tablet regimens and SCr ≥1.5 mg/dL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Lines
- Department of Pharmacy, 24851Johnson City Medical Center, Johnson City, TN, USA.,4154East Tennessee State University Physicians Infectious Diseases Clinic, Johnson City, TN, USA
| | - Paul Lewis
- Department of Pharmacy, 24851Johnson City Medical Center, Johnson City, TN, USA
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Lucas GM, Ross MJ, Stock PG, Shlipak MG, Wyatt CM, Gupta SK, Atta MG, Wools-Kaloustian KK, Pham PA, Bruggeman LA, Lennox JL, Ray PE, Kalayjian RC. Clinical practice guideline for the management of chronic kidney disease in patients infected with HIV: 2014 update by the HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis 2014; 59:e96-138. [PMID: 25234519 PMCID: PMC4271038 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciu617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
It is important to realize that guidelines cannot always account for individual variation among patients. They are not intended to supplant physician judgment with respect to particular patients or special clinical situations. IDSA considers adherence to these guidelines to be voluntary, with the ultimate determination regarding their application to be made by the physician in the light of each patient's individual circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Paul A. Pham
- Johns HopkinsSchool of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Leslie A. Bruggeman
- MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | | | - Robert C. Kalayjian
- MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
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Edelman EJ, Gordon KS, Glover J, McNicholl IR, Fiellin DA, Justice AC. The next therapeutic challenge in HIV: polypharmacy. Drugs Aging 2013; 30:613-28. [PMID: 23740523 PMCID: PMC3715685 DOI: 10.1007/s40266-013-0093-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
With the adoption of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), most HIV-infected individuals in care are on five or more medications and at risk of harm from polypharmacy, a risk that likely increases with number of medications, age, and physiologic frailty. Established harms of polypharmacy include decreased medication adherence and increased serious adverse drug events, including organ system injury, hospitalization, geriatric syndromes (falls, fractures, and cognitive decline) and mortality. The literature on polypharmacy among those with HIV infection is limited, and the literature on polypharmacy among non-HIV patients requires adaptation to the special issues facing those on chronic ART. First, those aging with HIV infection often initiate ART in their 3rd or 4th decade of life and are expected to remain on ART for the rest of their lives. Second, those with HIV may be at higher risk for age-associated comorbid disease, further increasing their risk of polypharmacy. Third, those with HIV may have an enhanced susceptibility to harm from polypharmacy due to decreased organ system reserve, chronic inflammation, and ongoing immune dysfunction. Finally, because ART is life-extending, nonadherence to ART is particularly concerning. After reviewing the relevant literature, we propose an adapted framework with which to address polypharmacy among those on lifelong ART and suggest areas for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ian R. McNicholl
- />UCSF Positive Health Program at San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - David A. Fiellin
- />Yale University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Amy C. Justice
- />Yale University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, New Haven, CT USA
- />VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT 06516 USA
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Daniels LM, Raasch RH, Corbett AH. Implementation of targeted interventions to decrease antiretroviral-related errors in hospitalized patients. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2012; 69:422-30. [PMID: 22345421 DOI: 10.2146/ajhp110172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The implementation and effectiveness of targeted interventions aimed at decreasing the frequency of antiretroviral-related errors in hospitalized patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are described. SUMMARY A prospective investigation conducted at the University of North Carolina Hospitals revealed a high rate of antiretroviral-related errors occurring on admission to the hospital and throughout a patient's hospital stay. The high frequency of errors emphasized the need for targeted interventions aimed at preventing these errors and quickly identifying and resolving errors that do occur. Several interventions aimed at decreasing this error rate were instituted, including the addition of computer alerts for incorrect doses and drug interactions to the pharmacy order-entry system, distribution of an educational pocket-sized card among the staff, addition of commercially available combination antiretroviral products to the hospital formulary, updates of the computerized prescriber-order-entry (CPOE) system to include common dosage defaults, involvement of the infectious diseases consultation service to evaluate prescribed regimens of newly admitted patients with HIV, and daily review of newly initiated anti-retroviral regimens by a clinical pharmacist trained in HIV care. A follow-up analysis was conducted after these interventions were implemented to evaluate their effectiveness. Of the 78 patients identified during the postintervention analysis, 12 (15%) had at least one error in their initial drug regimen versus 49 patients (72%) in the preintervention study (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Antiretroviral medication error rates decreased after the implementation of targeted interventions that included distributing an educational pocket-sized card, adding alerts to the pharmacy order- entry system, incorporating default dosages into the CPOE system, and adding combination antiretrovirals to the formulary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay M Daniels
- Department ofPharmacy, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
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Tseng A, Foisy M, Hughes CA, Kelly D, Chan S, Dayneka N, Giguère P, Higgins N, Hills-Nieminen C, Kapler J, la Porte CJL, Nickel P, Park-Wyllie L, Quaia C, Robinson L, Sheehan N, Stone S, Sulz L, Yoong D. Role of the Pharmacist in Caring for Patients with HIV/AIDS: Clinical Practice Guidelines. Can J Hosp Pharm 2012; 65:125-45. [PMID: 22529405 PMCID: PMC3329905 DOI: 10.4212/cjhp.v65i2.1120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Tseng
- , BScPhm, PharmD, FSCHP, AAHIVP, is with the Immunodeficiency Clinic of the Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario
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7
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Kerr CA, Neeman N, Davis RB, Schulze J, Libman H, Markson L, Aronson M, Bell SK. HIV quality of care assessment at an academic hospital: outcomes and lessons learned. Am J Med Qual 2012; 27:321-8. [PMID: 22326983 DOI: 10.1177/1062860611425714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Rapid changes in HIV treatment guidelines and antiretroviral therapy drug safety data add to the increasing complexity of caring for HIV-infected patients and amplify the need for continuous quality monitoring. The authors created an electronic HIV database of 642 patients who received care in the infectious disease (ID) and general medicine clinics in their academic center to monitor HIV clinical performance indicators. The main outcome measures of the study include process measures, including a description of how the database was constructed, and clinical outcomes, including HIV-specific quality improvement (QI) measures and primary care (PC) measures. Performance on HIV-specific QI measures was very high, but drug toxicity monitoring and PC-specific QI performance were deficient, particularly among ID specialists. Establishment of HIV QI data benchmarks as well as standards for how data will be measured and collected are needed and are the logical counterpart to treatment guidelines.
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Temporal trends in presentation for outpatient HIV medical care 2000-2010: implications for short-term mortality. J Gen Intern Med 2011; 26:745-50. [PMID: 21465301 PMCID: PMC3138583 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-011-1693-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2010] [Revised: 02/17/2011] [Accepted: 03/04/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many newly diagnosed patients present to outpatient care with advanced HIV infection. More timely HIV diagnosis and initiation of care has the potential to improve individual health outcomes and has public health implications. OBJECTIVE To assess temporal trends in late presentation for outpatient HIV medial care as measured by CD4 count <200 cells/mm(3) and the implications on short-term (1-year) mortality. DESIGN We conducted a cohort study nested in a prospective HIV clinical cohort including patients establishing initial outpatient HIV treatment between 2000-2010. Time series regression analysis evaluated temporal trends in late presentation for care measured by the proportion of patients with a CD4 count <200 cells/mm(3) or an opportunistic infection at enrollment, and also evaluated trends in short-term mortality. PARTICIPANTS Patients establishing initial outpatient HIV treatment between 2000-2010 at an academic HIV clinic. MAIN MEASURES The proportion of patients with a CD4 count <200 cells/mm(3) or an opportunistic infection at initial presentation and short-term (1-year) mortality following clinic enrollment. KEY RESULTS Among 1121 patients, 41% had an initial CD4 count <200 cells/mm(3), 25% had an opportunistic infection and 2.4% died within 1-year of their initial visit. Time series regression analysis demonstrated significant reductions in late presentation for HIV care and decreases in short-term mortality with temporal improvement preceding updated CDC HIV testing recommendations. CONCLUSION We observed a significant decline in the number of patients presenting for outpatient HIV care with advanced disease, particularly in 2006-2010. A significant trend in improved short-term survival among patients establishing HIV care was also observed, likely related to more timely presentation for outpatient care in more recent years.
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Godwin NC, Willig JH, Nevin CR, Lin HY, Allison J, Gaddis K, Peterson J, Saag MS, Mugavero MJ, Raper JL. Underutilization of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program: associated factors and policy implications. Health Serv Res 2011; 46:982-95. [PMID: 21210795 DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2010.01223.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) provides antiretroviral medications to low-income individuals with HIV infection. METHODS A prospective cohort study of ADAP utilization, measured using medication possession ratio (MPR), was conducted during the 2008 calendar year at the University of Alabama at Birmingham 1917 HIV Clinic. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression evaluated factors associated with ADAP utilization. RESULTS Among 245 patients, MPR quartiles (Q) were the following: Q1<69 percent, Q2=69-83 percent, Q3=84-93 percent, Q4>93 percent. In ordinal logistic regression, younger age (OR=0.59 per 10 years; 95 percent CI=0.44-0.79), nonwhite males (2.18; 1.18-4.04), lower CD4 count (2.79 for <200 cells/mm(3) ; 1.44-5.43), and a history of alcohol abuse (2.11; 1.02-4.37) were associated with poor ADAP utilization. CONCLUSIONS One quarter of ADAP enrollees had MPR below 69 percent, a level well below that associated with optimal HIV treatment outcomes, indicating a need for programmatic interventions to improve ADAP utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah C Godwin
- University of Alabama School of Medicine, 908 20th St. South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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Development of a point-of-care HIV/AIDS medication dosing support system using the Android mobile platform. J Med Syst 2010; 36:1583-91. [PMID: 21057886 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-010-9619-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2010] [Accepted: 10/25/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Medication dosing errors can greatly reduce HIV treatment effectiveness as incorrect dosing leads to drug resistance and non-adherence. In order to dose correctly, HIV therapy providers must balance several patient characteristics such as renal functions and weight. In developing countries and other resource-limited settings, dosing errors are more likely because treatment is provided by mid-level providers with only basic training in HIV therapy. These providers also typically lack electronic tools informing medical decisions. Widespread adoption of mobile phones in developing nations offers an opportunity to implement a point-of-care system to help providers reduce dosing errors. We discuss the development of the mHIV-Dr system prototype using the new Android mobile platform. mHIV-Dr is being designed to provide dosing recommendations for front-line providers in developing countries. We also discuss the additional challenges in the implementation of the mHIV-Dr system in a resource limited setting.
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Willig JH, Nevin CR, Raper JL, Saag MS, Mugavero MJ, Willig AL, Burkhardt JH, Schumacher JE, Johnson VA. Cost ramifications of increased reporting of detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA levels by the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 version 1.0 viral load test. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2010; 54:442-4. [PMID: 20611035 PMCID: PMC2901889 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0b013e3181d01d1d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Cooke CE, Isetts BJ, Sullivan TE, Fustgaard M, Belletti DA. Potential value of electronic prescribing in health economic and outcomes research. Patient Relat Outcome Meas 2010; 1:163-78. [PMID: 22915962 PMCID: PMC3417916 DOI: 10.2147/prom.s13033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Improving access and quality while reducing expenditures in the United States health system is expected to be a priority for many years. The use of health information technology (HIT), including electronic prescribing (eRx), is an important initiative in efforts aimed at improving safety and outcomes, increasing quality, and decreasing costs. Data from eRx has been used in studies that document reductions in medication errors, adverse drug events, and pharmacy order-processing time. Evaluating programs and initiatives intended to improve health care can be facilitated through the use of HIT and eRx. eRx data can be used to conduct research to answer questions about the outcomes of health care products, services, and new clinical initiatives with the goal of providing guidance for clinicians and policy makers. Given the recent explosive growth of eRx in the United States, the purpose of this manuscript is to assess the value and suggest enhanced uses and applications of eRx to facilitate the role of the practitioner in contributing to health economics and outcomes research.
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Mugavero MJ, Lin HY, Willig JH, Westfall AO, Ulett KB, Routman JS, Abroms S, Raper JL, Saag MS, Allison JJ. Missed visits and mortality among patients establishing initial outpatient HIV treatment. Clin Infect Dis 2009; 48:248-56. [PMID: 19072715 DOI: 10.1086/595705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 382] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dramatic increases in the number of patients requiring linkage to treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are anticipated in response to updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV testing recommendations that advocate routine, opt-out HIV testing. METHODS A retrospective analysis nested within a prospective HIV clinical cohort study evaluated patients who established initial outpatient treatment for HIV infection at the University of Alabama at Birmingham 1917 HIV/AIDS Clinic from 1 January 2000 through 31 December 2005. Survival methods were used to evaluate the impact of missed visits during the first year of care on subsequent mortality in the context of other baseline sociodemographic, psychosocial, and clinical factors. Mortality was ascertained by query of the Social Security Death Index as of 1 August 2007. RESULTS Among 543 study participants initiating outpatient care for HIV infection, 60% missed a visit within the first year. The mortality rate was 2.3 deaths per 100 person-years for patients who missed visits, compared with 1.0 deaths per 100 person-years for those who attended all scheduled appointments during the first year after establishing outpatient treatment (P = .02). In Cox proportional hazards analysis, higher hazards of death were independently associated with missed visits (hazard ratio, 2.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-6.56), older age (hazard ratio, 1.58 per 10 years of age; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-2.22), and baseline CD4+ cell count < 200 cells/mm(3) (hazard ratio, 2.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-7.30). CONCLUSIONS Patients who missed visits within the first year after initiating outpatient treatment for HIV infection had more than twice the rate of long-term mortality, compared with those patients who attended all scheduled appointments. We posit that early missed visits are not causally responsible for the higher observed mortality but, rather, identify those patients who are more likely to exhibit health behaviors that portend increased subsequent mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Mugavero
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 908 20th St. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-2050, USA.
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Mugavero MJ, Lin HY, Allison JJ, Giordano TP, Willig JH, Raper JL, Wray NP, Cole SR, Schumacher JE, Davies S, Saag MS. Racial disparities in HIV virologic failure: do missed visits matter? J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2009; 50:100-8. [PMID: 19295340 PMCID: PMC2766510 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0b013e31818d5c37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Racial/ethnic health care disparities are well described in people living with HIV/AIDS, although the processes underlying observed disparities are not well elucidated. METHODS A retrospective analysis nested in the University of Alabama at Birmingham 1917 Clinic Cohort observational HIV study evaluated patients between August 2004 and January 2007. Factors associated with appointment nonadherence, a proportion of missed outpatient visits, were evaluated. Next, the role of appointment nonadherence in explaining the relationship between African American race and virologic failure (plasma HIV RNA >50 copies/mL) was examined using a staged multivariable modeling approach. RESULTS Among 1221 participants, a broad distribution of appointment nonadherence was observed, with 40% of patients missing at least 1 in every 4 scheduled visits. The adjusted odds of appointment nonadherence were 1.85 times higher in African American patients compared with whites [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.61 to 2.14]. Appointment nonadherence was associated with virologic failure (odds ratio = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.48 to 2.13) and partially mediated the relationship between African American race and virologic failure. African Americans had 1.56 times the adjusted odds of virologic failure (95% CI = 1.19 to 2.05), which declined to 1.30 (95% CI = 0.98 to 1.72) when controlling for appointment nonadherence, a hypothesized mediator. CONCLUSIONS Appointment nonadherence was more common in African American patients, associated with virologic failure, and seemed to explain part of observed racial disparities in virologic failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Mugavero
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Ulett KB, Willig JH, Lin HY, Routman JS, Abroms S, Allison J, Chatham A, Raper JL, Saag MS, Mugavero MJ. The therapeutic implications of timely linkage and early retention in HIV care. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2009; 23:41-9. [PMID: 19055408 DOI: 10.1089/apc.2008.0132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 309] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Following HIV diagnosis, linkage to outpatient treatment, antiretroviral initiation, and longitudinal retention in care represent the foundation for successful treatment. While prior studies have evaluated these processes in isolation, a systematic evaluation of successive steps in the same cohort of patients has not yet been performed. To ensure optimal long-term outcomes, a better understanding of the interplay of these processes is needed. Therefore, a retrospective cohort study of patients initiating outpatient care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham 1917 HIV=AIDS Clinic between January 2000 and December 2005 was undertaken. Multivariable models determined factors associated with: late diagnosis=linkage to care (initial CD4 < 350 cells=mm3), timely antiretroviral initiation, and retention across the first two years of care. Delayed linkage was observed in two-thirds of the overall sample (n = 567) and was associated with older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31 per 10 years; 95%confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.62) and African American race (OR = 2.45; 95% CI = 1.60-3.74). Attending all clinic visits (hazard ratio [HR] = 6.45; 95% CI = 4.47-9.31) and lower initial CD4 counts led to earlier antiretroviral initiation. Worse retention in the first 2 years was associated with younger age (OR = 0.68 per 10 years;95% CI = 0.56-0.83), higher baseline CD4 count, and substance abuse (OR = 1.78; 95% CI = 1.16-2.73). Interventions to improve timely HIV diagnosis and linkage to care should focus on older patients and African Americans while efforts to improve retention should address younger patients, those with higher baseline CD4 counts, and substance abuse. Missed clinic visits represent an important obstacle to the timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy. These data inform development of interventions to improve linkage and retention in HIV care, an emerging area of growing importance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hui-Yi Lin
- Medical Statistics Section, Department of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | | | - Sarah Abroms
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Jeroan Allison
- Division of General Internal Medicine Department of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
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Robison LS, Westfall AO, Mugavero MJ, Kempf MC, Cole SR, Allison JJ, Willig JH, Raper JL, Wilcox CM, Saag MS. Short-term discontinuation of HAART regimens more common in vulnerable patient populations. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2008; 24:1347-55. [PMID: 19032064 DOI: 10.1089/aid.2008.0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The durability of HAART regimens is often limited by antiretroviral toxicity and nonadherence, which lead to virologic failure. We sought to determine sociodemographic and psychosocial patient factors predictive of short-term discontinuation of HAART regimens overall and stratified by the reason for discontinuation. A retrospective cohort study of the UAB 1917 Clinic Cohort evaluated short-term HAART regimen discontinuation (within 12 months of regimen initiation) between 1/1995 and 8/2004 classified as (1) gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity, (2) non-GI toxicity, (3) virologic failure or nonadherence (VF/NA), (4) loss to follow-up, and (5) other. Multivariable multinomial logistic regression models accounting for dependent observations were fit to assess the relationship between patient factors and type-specific regimen discontinuation. Among the 738 study participants, 1026 of 1852 HAART regimens (55%) were discontinued within 12 months of initiation. In multivariable analysis, discontinuation for GI toxicity was more common in patients lacking private health insurance and those with a history of intravenous (IV) drug use, whereas non-GI toxicity was more common in younger patients and females. African-American patients and those with a history of IV drug use were more likely to stop a regimen due to VF/NA. Loss to follow-up was more common in younger patients, individuals who were uninsured, and those with a history of IV drug use. Short-term discontinuation of HAART regimens is more common in vulnerable populations that bear a disproportionate burden of the U.S. HIV/AIDS epidemic. More vigilant monitoring of patient populations at higher risk of toxicity and virologic failure may allow for improved HAART regimen durability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mirjam C. Kempf
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Stephen R. Cole
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | | | - James H. Willig
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - James L. Raper
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - C. Mel Wilcox
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Michael S. Saag
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
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