Aging and infectious diseases: do patterns of comorbidity vary by HIV status, age, and HIV severity?

Chest pain syndromes are associated with high rates of recidivism and costs in young United States Veterans

Background

Recurrent chest pain is common in patients with and without coronary artery disease. The prevalence and burden of these symptoms on healthcare is unknown.

Objectives

To compare chest pain return visits (recidivism) in patients with unexplained chest pain (UCP) against reference group of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and estimate the annual cost of recurrent chest pain.

Methods

In a retrospective cohort study, a Veteran Affairs (VA) administrative and clinical database of Veterans who were deployed to or served in support of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan was queried for first disease specific ICD-9 code to form two cohorts (UCP or CAD). Patients were followed between 09/2001-09/2010 for the first and cumulative return visits for UCP or cardiac pain (ACS or angina) to clinic, emergency department or admission; or for all-cause death. Time to return was analyzed using Cox regression and negative binomial models and adjusted for age, gender, race, marital status, and risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking and obesity). Direct total costs included inpatient, outpatient and fee basis (non-VA) costs.

Results

Of 749,036 patients, 20,521 had UCP and 5303 had CAD. UCP patients were young and had a lower burden of risk factors than CAD cohort (p < .01). Yet, these patients were likely to return earlier with any chest pain (adjusted Hazard Ratio [aHR] = 1.76; 95 % CI 1.65-1.88); or unexplained chest pain than CAD patients (aHR: 1.89; 95 % CI 1.77-2.01). UCP patients were also likely to return more frequently for any chest pain (aRate Ratio = 1.54; 95 % CI 1.43-1.64) or UCP than CAD patients (aRR =2.63; 95 % CI 2.43-2.87). Per 100 patients, the 1-year cumulative returns were 37 visits for reference group and 45 visits for UCP cohort. The annual costs for chest pain averaged $69,009 for CAD and $57,336 for UCP patients (log geometric mean ratio=1.25; 95 % CI 1.18-1.32).

Conclusion

Chest pain recidivism is common and costly even in patients without known CAD. We need evidence-based guidelines for these patients to minimize returns.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12875-015-0287-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Strong Impact of Smoking on Multimorbidity and Cardiovascular Risk Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individuals in Comparison With the General Population

AIDS-associated morbidity has diminished due to excellent viral control. Multimorbidity are more prevalent and incident in Swiss HIV-positive persons compared to HIV-negative controls. However, smoking, but not HIV status, had a strong impact on cardiovascular risk and multimorbidity.

Background. Although acquired immune deficiency syndrome-associated morbidity has diminished due to excellent viral control, multimorbidity may be increasing among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons compared with the general population.

Methods. We assessed the prevalence of comorbidities and multimorbidity in participants of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) compared with the population-based CoLaus study and the primary care-based FIRE (Family Medicine ICPC-Research using Electronic Medical Records) records. The incidence of the respective endpoints were assessed among SHCS and CoLaus participants. Poisson regression models were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking.

Results. Overall, 74 291 participants contributed data to prevalence analyses (3230 HIV-infected; 71 061 controls). In CoLaus, FIRE, and SHCS, multimorbidity was present among 26%, 13%, and 27% of participants. Compared with nonsmoking individuals from CoLaus, the incidence of cardiovascular disease was elevated among smoking individuals but independent of HIV status (HIV-negative smoking: incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2–2.5; HIV-positive smoking: IRR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1–2.6; HIV-positive nonsmoking: IRR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.44–1.4). Compared with nonsmoking HIV-negative persons, multivariable Poisson regression identified associations of HIV infection with hypertension (nonsmoking: IRR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.5–2.4; smoking: IRR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.6–2.4), kidney (nonsmoking: IRR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.9–3.8; smoking: IRR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.9–3.6), and liver disease (nonsmoking: IRR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.4–2.4; smoking: IRR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.4–2.2). No evidence was found for an association of HIV-infection or smoking with diabetes mellitus.

Conclusions. Multimorbidity is more prevalent and incident in HIV-positive compared with HIV-negative individuals. Smoking, but not HIV status, has a strong impact on cardiovascular risk and multimorbidity.

Statin Use Is Associated With Incident Diabetes Mellitus Among Patients in the HIV Outpatient Study

INTRODUCTION

Statin therapy is effective in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in the general population but has been shown to modestly increase the risk for incident diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODS

We analyzed incident DM in HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS) participants followed at 8 HIV clinic sites during 2002-2011, comparing rates among those who initiated statin therapy during that period with those who did not. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we examined the association between cumulative years of statin exposure and the risk of developing DM, after controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, antiretroviral history, prevalent hepatitis C, body mass index, and cumulative exposure to protease inhibitor therapy. We also adjusted for propensity scores to account for residual confounding by indication.

RESULTS

Of 4692 patients analyzed, 590 (12.6%) initiated statin therapy and 355 (7.2%) developed DM. Incident DM was independently associated with statin therapy (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.14 per year of statin use), as well as older age, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, non-Hispanic/Latino black race, antiretroviral-naive status, prevalent hepatitis C, and body mass index ≥30 kg/m² (P < 0.05 for all). The association of statin use with incident DM was similar in the model adjusted for propensity score.

CONCLUSIONS

Statin use was associated with a modestly increased risk of incident DM in an HIV-infected population, similar to existing data for the general population. HIV-infected patients should be monitored for glucose intolerance, but statins should not be withheld if clinically indicated for cardiovascular disease risk reduction.

An observational study of comorbidity and healthcare utilisation among HIV-positive patients aged 50 years and over

The number of HIV-positive people aged ≥50 years is rising each year. We measured the prevalence of non-infectious illnesses and their risk factors and described healthcare use in this UK population. A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at an outpatient HIV specialist clinic in south east England. Patients age ≥50 years were invited to complete questionnaires measuring demographics, non-infectious illnesses, medication use, lifestyle and healthcare utilisation. The response rate was 67%. Of 299 participants, 84% reported ≥1 comorbid condition and 61% reported ≥2 (multimorbidity). Most commonly reported were high cholesterol, sexual dysfunction, hypertension and depression. In multivariate analyses, age, number of years HIV-positive and duration of antiretroviral therapy remained significant predictors of comorbidity when controlling for lifestyle factors (exercise, smoking and use of recreational drugs and alcohol). Use of non-HIV healthcare services was associated with increasing comorbidity, a longer duration of HIV and recreational drug use. The majority of HIV-patients aged ≥50 years reported multiple comorbidities and this was associated with polypharmacy and increased use of non-HIV services. Further research examining the quality, safety and patient experience of healthcare is needed to inform development of services to optimally meet the needs of older HIV-positive patients.

Prevalence of concomitant medications in older HIV+ patients and comparison with general population

OBJECTIVE

The increasing population of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected elderly patients results in a higher number of comorbidities and greater incidence of polypharmacy in addition to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The aim of this study is to describe the use of concomitant medication in older HIV-infected patients and to compare it with older general population.

METHODS

The study included HIV-positive outpatients (>49 years) who received ART in 2011. Co-medication dispensed by pharmacies in that year was collected. Defined daily dose (DDD) for each drug was calculated by patient. A comparison was made between the use of co-medication among men between 50 and 64 years old in general population against the HIV-infected population.

RESULTS

The study was based on 118 patients (77% men), of which 82% took at least one co-medication and 58% at least five. The commonest co-medications used by HIV-positive patients were antibiotics (44%); analgesics (44%); anti-inflammatories (39%); antacids (38%); and psycholeptics (38%). The medicines used for the greatest number of days per HIV-positive patient were those related to the renin-angiotensin system; anti-diabetics; lipid modifying agents; antithrombotics; and calcium channel blockers. In comparison with the general male population, a higher proportion of HIV-infected patients used antibiotics (42 vs 30%, P = 0.018), antiepileptics (16 vs 5%, P = 0.000), psycholeptics (35 vs 17%, P = 0.000) and COPD medications (14 vs 7%, P = 0.008). The duration of antibiotics and psycholeptic use in HIV-infected patients was longer compared to the general population (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Older HIV-positive patients frequently take a higher number of co-medication, which increases the risk of adverse events, interactions with other medication, and may lead to poorer treatment adherence.

Infertility care among OEF/OIF/OND women Veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of young women Veterans seek reproductive health care through the VA, yet little is known regarding the provision of infertility care for this population. The VA provides a range of infertility services for Veterans including artificial insemination, but does not provide in vitro fertilization. This study will be the first to characterize infertility care among OEF/OIF/OND women Veterans using VA care.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the OEF/OIF/OND roster file from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC)-Contingency Tracking System Deployment file of military discharges from October 1, 2001-December 30, 2010, which includes 68,442 women Veterans between the ages of 18 and 45 who utilized VA health care after separating from military service. We examined the receipt of infertility diagnoses and care using ICD-9 and CPT codes.

RESULTS

Less than 2% (n=1323) of OEF/OIF/OND women Veterans received an infertility diagnosis during the study period. Compared with women VA users without infertility diagnosis, those with infertility diagnosis were younger, obese, black, or Hispanic, have a service-connected disability rating, a positive screen for military sexual trauma, and a mental health diagnosis. Overall, 22% of women with an infertility diagnosis received an infertility assessment or treatment. Thirty-nine percent of women Veterans receiving infertility assessment or treatment received this care from non-VA providers.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, a small proportion of OEF/OIF/OND women Veterans received infertility diagnoses from the VA during the study period, and an even smaller proportion received infertility treatment. Nearly 40% of those who received infertility treatments received these treatments from non-VA providers, indicating that the VA may need to examine the training and resources needed to provide this care within the VA. Understanding women's use of VA infertility services is an important component of understanding VA's commitment to comprehensive medical care for women Veterans.

A population-based study comparing patterns of care delivery on the quality of care for persons living with HIV in Ontario

OBJECTIVES

Physician specialty is often positively associated with disease-specific outcomes and negatively associated with primary care outcomes for people with chronic conditions. People with HIV have increasing comorbidity arising from antiretroviral therapy (ART) related longevity, making HIV a useful condition to examine shared care models. We used a previously described, theoretically developed shared care framework to assess the impact of care delivery on the quality of care provided.

DESIGN

Retrospective population-based observational study from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2012.

PARTICIPANTS

13 480 patients with HIV and receiving publicly funded healthcare in Ontario were assigned to one of five patterns of care.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Cancer screening, ART prescribing and healthcare utilisation across models using adjusted multivariable hierarchical logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Models in which patients had an assigned family physician had higher odds of cancer screening than those in exclusively specialist care (colorectal cancer screening, exclusively primary care adjusted OR (AOR)=3.12, 95% CI (1.90 to 5.13), family physician-dominant co-management AOR=3.39, 95% CI (1.94 to 5.93), specialist-dominant co-management AOR=2.01, 95% CI (1.23 to 3.26)). The odds of having one emergency department visit did not differ among models, although the odds of hospitalisation and HIV-specific hospitalisation were lower among patients who saw exclusively family physicians (AOR=0.23, 95% CI (0.14 to 0.35) and AOR=0.15, 95% CI (0.12 to 0.21)). The odds of antiretroviral prescriptions were lower among models in which patients' HIV care was provided predominantly by family physicians (exclusively primary care AOR=0.15, 95% CI (0.12 to 0.21), family physician-dominant co-management AOR=0.45, 95% CI (0.32 to 0.64)).

CONCLUSIONS

How care is provided had a potentially important influence on the quality of care delivered. Our key limitation is potential confounding due to the absence of HIV stage measures.

Comparing clinical outcomes in HIV-infected and uninfected older men hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia

OBJECTIVES

Outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) among HIV-infected older adults are unclear.

METHODS

Associations between HIV infection and three CAP outcomes (30-day mortality, readmission within 30 days post-discharge, and hospital length of stay [LOS]) were examined in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) of male Veterans, age ≥ 50 years, hospitalized for CAP from 10/1/2002 through 08/31/2010. Associations between the VACS Index and CAP outcomes were assessed in multivariable models.

RESULTS

Among 117 557 Veterans (36 922 HIV-infected and 80 635 uninfected), 1203 met our eligibility criteria. The 30-day mortality rate was 5.3%, the mean LOS was 7.3 days, and 13.2% were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. In unadjusted analyses, there were no significant differences between HIV-infected and uninfected participants regarding the three CAP outcomes (P > 0.2). A higher VACS Index was associated with increased 30-day mortality, readmission, and LOS in both HIV-infected and uninfected groups. Generic organ system components of the VACS Index were associated with adverse CAP outcomes; HIV-specific components were not. Among HIV-infected participants, those not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) had a higher 30-day mortality (HR 2.94 [95% CI 1.51, 5.72]; P = 0.002) and a longer LOS (slope 2.69 days [95% CI 0.65, 4.73]; P = 0.008), after accounting for VACS Index. Readmission was not associated with ART use (OR 1.12 [95% CI 0.62, 2.00] P = 0.714).

CONCLUSION

Among HIV-infected and uninfected older adults hospitalized for CAP, organ system components of the VACS Index were associated with adverse CAP outcomes. Among HIV-infected individuals, ART was associated with decreased 30-day mortality and LOS.

The prevalence of comorbidities among people living with HIV in Brent: a diverse London Borough

Background HIV has changed from a rapidly deteriorating illness to a complex chronic disease, with increasing incidences of comorbidity, including cancer, and liver, lung and cardiovascular diseases. North West London has 6719 individuals living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 873 of whom reside in the London Borough of Brent. Traditionally, commissioning services have focused on HIV therapy alone without considering how comorbidity affects treatment outcome and total service costs. Setting The setting for the study was NHS Brent Primary Care Trust, London UK. Question What associated comorbidities are present in people in Brent (London, UK) living with HIV, and how common are they? Methods A point-prevalence audit of retrospective data was conducted on all HIV-positive patients in Brent (financial year 2011/12). Data were collected from genito-urinary medicine (GUM) services, community services and general practitioners (GPs) on HIV diagnosis, patient demographics and past/current comorbidities: hepatitis B and C, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental health disorders. Results This study identified that 29% of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Brent have at least one comorbidity. The most common was hepatitis, followed by mental health disorders and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Comorbidity was more likely in older male patients (in particular CVD and diabetes) and White patients (except for diabetes which was more common in Asian groups). Discussion/Conclusion Many PLWHA in Brent suffer from a number of other conditions, which appear largely independent of HIV. Findings confirm the need to treat HIV as a long-term condition, including patient education, empowerment and encouraging self-management. The multi-morbidity of many PLWHA suggests a role for both primary care and collaborative, holistic, patient-centred and individualised healthcare. Service providers and commissioners need to consider comorbidities in their treatment of and provision of services for PLWHA. This study also highlighted the need for services to address limitations of their data collection systems.

HIV-related metabolic comorbidities in the current ART era

Despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-infected individuals have residual chronic immune activation that contributes to the pathogenesis of HIV infection. This immune system dysregulation is a pathogenic state manifested by very low naïve T-cell numbers and increased terminally differentiated effector cells that generate excessive proinflammatory cytokines with limited functionality. Immune exhaustion leaves an individual at risk for accelerated aging-related diseases, including renal dysfunction, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and osteoporosis. We highlight research that clarifies the role of HIV, ART, and other factors that contribute to the development of these diseases among HIV-infected persons.

Impact of HIV-specialized pharmacies on adherence to medications for comorbid conditions

OBJECTIVE

To determine if patients using human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specialized pharmacies have greater adherence to drugs used to treat comorbid conditions and HIV compared with patients who use traditional pharmacies.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study, with patients' propensity matched based on pharmacy use: HIV-specialized versus traditional.

SETTING

Nationwide pharmacy chain.

PARTICIPANTS

Adult patients who filled at least two prescriptions for an antiretroviral therapy (ART). Patients also needed to have at least two prescriptions for an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) or a statin for analyses examining comorbid conditions.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Proportion of days covered (PDC).

RESULTS

The adherence analyses for ART, ACE inhibitors/ARBs, and statins included 14,278, 1,484, and 1,372 pairs, respectively. The mean PDC for ART patients using HIV-specialized pharmacies was higher than that for patients using traditional pharmacies (86.20% vs. 81.87%; P <0.0001). Patients taking ACE inhibitors/ARBs in the specialized group also had a higher mean PDC compared with patients in the traditional group (82.61 vs. 79.66; P = 0.0002), as did specialized pharmacy users in the statin group (83.77 vs. 81.29; P = 0.0009).

CONCLUSION

HIV patients managed by an HIV-specialized pharmacy have significantly higher adherence to medication for comorbid conditions compared with patients using traditional pharmacies. Patients of HIV-specialized pharmacies also have significantly higher adherence to ART compared with peers using traditional pharmacies.

HIV disease burden, cost, and length of stay in Portuguese hospitals from 2000 to 2010: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The number of HIV-related hospitalizations has decreased worldwide in recent years owing to the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy. However, the change in HIV-related hospitalizations in Portugal has not been studied. Using comprehensive hospital discharge data from mainland Portuguese hospitals, we examined trends in HIV-related inpatient admissions, length of stay (LOS), Elixhauser comorbidity measures, in-hospital mortality, and mean cost from 2000 to 2010.

METHODS

The hospital administrative data from inpatient admissions and discharges at 75 public acute care hospitals in the Portuguese National Health Service from 2000 to 2010 were included. HIV-related admissions were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 9(th) Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes 042.x-044.x. The effect of Elixhauser comorbidity measures on extending the LOS was assessed by comparing admissions in HIV patients with and without comorbidities using the Mann-Whitney U test. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds of having a decreased discharge.

RESULTS

A total of 57,027 hospital admissions were analyzed; 73% of patients were male, and the mean age was 39 years. The median LOS was 11 days, and the in-hospital mortality was 14%. The mean cost per hospitalization was 5,148.7€. A total of 83% of admissions were through the emergency room. During the period, inpatient HIV admissions decreased by 22%, LOS decreased by 9%, and in-hospital mortality dropped by 12%. Elixhauser comorbidities increased the median LOS in nearly all admissions.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite small regional variations, a strong, consistent decrease was observed in the hospital admission rate, mean cost, length of stay, and mortality rate for HIV-related admissions in Portugal during 2000-2010.

STI diagnosis and HIV testing among OEF/OIF/OND veterans

IMPORTANCE

Patients with sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis should be tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), regardless of previous HIV test results.

OBJECTIVE

Estimate HIV testing rates among recent service Veterans with an STI diagnosis and variation in testing rates by patient characteristics.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

The sample comprised 243,843 Veterans who initiated Veterans Health Administration (VHA) services within 1 year after military separation. Participants were followed for 2 years to determine STI diagnoses and HIV testing rates. We used relative risks regression to examine variation in testing rates.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

We used VHA administrative data to identify STI diagnoses and HIV testing and results.

RESULTS

Veterans with an STI diagnosis (n = 1815) had higher HIV testing rates than those without (34.9% vs. 7.3%, P<0.0001), but were not more likely to have a positive test result (1.1% vs. 1.4%, P = 0.53). Among Veterans with an STI diagnosis, testing increased from 25% to 45% over the observation period; older age was associated with a lower rate of testing, whereas race and ethnicity, multiple deployments, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse disorders were associated with a higher rate.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Since VHA implemented routine HIV testing, overall rates of testing have increased. However, among Veterans at significant risk for HIV because of an STI diagnosis, only 45% had an HIV test in the most recent year of observation. Other patient characteristics such as alcohol and drug abuse were associated with being tested for HIV. Providers should be reminded that an STI is a sufficient reason to test for HIV.

Health administrative data can be used to define a shared care typology for people with HIV

OBJECTIVES

Building on an existing theoretical shared primary care/specialist care framework to (1) develop a unique typology of care for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Ontario, (2) assess sensitivity of the typology by varying typology definitions, and (3) describe characteristics of typology categories.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

Retrospective population-based observational study from April 1, 2009, to March 31, 2012. A total of 13,480 eligible patients with HIV and receiving publicly funded health care in Ontario. We derived a typology of care by linking patients to usual family physicians and to HIV specialists with five possible patterns of care. Patient and physician characteristics and outpatient visits for HIV-related and non-HIV-related care were used to assess the robustness and characteristics of the typology.

RESULTS

Five possible patterns of care were described as low engagement (8.6%), exclusively primary care (52.7%), family physician-dominated comanagement (10.0%), specialist-dominated comanagement (30.5%), and exclusively specialist care (5.2%). Sensitivity analyses demonstrated robustness of typology assignments. Visit patterns varied in ways that conform to typology assignments.

CONCLUSION

We anticipate this typology can be used to assess the impact of care patterns on the quality of primary care for people living with HIV.

Drug interactions and antiretroviral drug monitoring

Owing to the improved longevity afforded by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), HIV-infected individuals are developing several non-AIDS-related comorbid conditions. Consequently, medical management of the HIV-infected population is increasingly complex, with a growing list of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs). This article reviews some of the most relevant and emerging potential interactions between antiretroviral medications and other agents. The most common DDIs are those involving protease inhibitors or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, which alter the cytochrome P450 enzyme system and/or drug transporters such as p-glycoprotein. Of note are the new agents for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. These new classes of drugs and others drugs that are increasingly used in this patient population represent a significant challenge with regard to achieving the goals of effective HIV suppression and minimization of drug-related toxicities. Awareness of DDIs and a multidisciplinary approach are imperative in reaching these goals.

Cardiovascular disease risk in an aging HIV population: not just a question of biology

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The objective of this review is to appraise recently published literature that describes the relationship between HIV, biologic and environmental risk factors, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk with particular emphasis on the aging HIV population and to demonstrate that these biologic and environmental factors may interact to increase the risk of CVD in the HIV population.

RECENT FINDINGS

The mechanisms linking HIV and CVD are multifactorial and encompass biological and 'environmental' modalities including multimorbid conditions that co-occur with HIV, immunologic alterations associated with HIV, polypharmacy (which affects adherence and increases likelihood of adverse drug-drug interactions) and healthcare disparities in CVD risk reduction by HIV status.

SUMMARY

Data regarding optimal treatment strategies that balance immunological restoration and CVD risk reduction are needed.

Patient-centered care for people living with multimorbidity

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to consider a patient-centred approach to the care of people living with HIV (PLWH) who have multimorbidity, irrespective of the specific conditions.

RECENT FINDINGS

Interdisciplinary care to achieve patient-centred care for people with multimorbidity is recognized as important, but the evaluation of models designed to achieve this goal are needed. Key elements of such approaches include patient preferences, interpretation of the evidence, prognosis as a tool to inform patient-centred care, clinical feasibility and optimization of treatment regimens.

SUMMARY

Developing and evaluating the best models of patient-centred care for PLWH who also have multimorbidity is essential. This challenge represents an opportunity to leverage the lessons learned from the care of people with multimorbidity in general, and vice versa.

Influence of immune activation and inflammatory response on cardiovascular risk associated with the human immunodeficiency virus

Patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased cardiovascular risk. Although initially this increased risk was attributed to metabolic alterations associated with antiretroviral treatment, in recent years, the attention has been focused on the HIV disease itself. Inflammation, immune system activation, and endothelial dysfunction facilitated by HIV infection have been identified as key factors in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. In this review, we describe the epidemiology and pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in patients with HIV infection and summarize the latest knowledge on the relationship between traditional and novel inflammatory, immune activation, and endothelial dysfunction biomarkers on the cardiovascular risk associated with HIV infection.

Multimorbidity among people with HIV in regional New South Wales, Australia

Background Multimorbidity is the co-occurrence of more than one chronic health condition in addition to HIV. Higher multimorbidity increases mortality, complexity of care and healthcare costs while decreasing quality of life. The prevalence of and factors associated with multimorbidity among HIV positive patients attending a regional sexual health service are described.

METHODS

A record review of all HIV positive patients attending the service between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2012 was conducted. Two medical officers reviewed records for chronic health conditions and to rate multimorbidity using the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with a higher CIRS score.

RESULTS

One hundred and eighty-nine individuals were included in the study; the mean age was 51.8 years and 92.6% were men. One-quarter (25.4%) had ever been diagnosed with AIDS. Multimorbidity was extremely common, with 54.5% of individuals having two or more chronic health conditions in addition to HIV; the most common being a mental health diagnosis, followed by vascular disease. In multivariate analysis, older age, having ever been diagnosed with AIDS and being on an antiretroviral regimen other than two nucleosides and a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor or protease inhibitor were associated with a higher CIRS score.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study looking at associations with multimorbidity in the Australian setting. Care models for HIV positive patients should include assessing and managing multimorbidity, particularly in older people and those that have ever been diagnosed with AIDS.

Determinants of HIV outpatient service utilization: a systematic review

Demands on HIV services are increasing as a consequence of the increased life-expectancy of HIV patients in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era. Understanding the factors that influence utilization of ambulatory HIV services is useful for planning service provision. This study reviewed factors associated with utilization of hospital based HIV out-patient services. Studies reporting person-based utilization rates of HIV-specific outpatient services broken down by patient or healthcare characteristics were eligible for inclusion. The Andersen Behavioral Model was used to organize the information extracted into pre-disposing, enabling and need components. Ten studies were included in the final review. Older age, private insurance, urban residence, lower CD4 counts, a diagnosis of AIDS, or anti-retroviral treatment were associated with higher utilization rates. The results of this review are consistent with existing knowledge regarding HIV patients' use of health services. Little information was identified on the influence of health service characteristics on utilization of out-patient services.

Resilience, stress, and life quality in older adults living with HIV/AIDS

OBJECTIVES

This study tested the mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between life stress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older people, 50 years of age and older, living with HIV/AIDS (OPLWHA).

METHOD

Data from 299 OPLWHA were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to define a novel resilience construct (represented by coping self-efficacy, active coping, hope/optimism, and social support) and to assess mediating effects of resilience on the association between life stress and HRQoL (physical, emotional, and functional/global well-being).

RESULTS

SEM analyses showed satisfactory model fit for both resilience and mediational models, with resilience mediating the associations between life stress and physical, emotional, and functional/global well-being.

CONCLUSION

Resilience may reduce the negative influence of life stress on physical, emotional, and functional/global well-being in OPLWHA. Interventions that build personal capacity, coping skills, and social support may contribute to better management of HIV/AIDS and increase HRQoL.

Personal health record reach in the Veterans Health Administration: a cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND

My HealtheVet (MHV) is the personal health record and patient portal developed by the United States Veterans Health Administration (VA). While millions of American veterans have registered for MHV, little is known about how a patient's health status may affect adoption and use of the personal health record.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to characterize the reach of the VA personal health record by clinical condition.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional analysis of all veterans nationwide with at least one inpatient admission or two outpatient visits between April 2010 and March 2012. We compared adoption (registration, authentication, opt-in to use secure messaging) and use (prescription refill and secure messaging) of MHV in April 2012 across 18 specific clinical conditions prevalent in and of high priority to the VA. We calculated predicted probabilities of adoption by condition using multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for sociodemographics, comorbidities, and clustering of patients within facilities.

RESULTS

Among 6,012,875 veterans, 6.20% were women, 61.45% were Caucasian, and 26.31% resided in rural areas. The mean age was 63.3 years. Nationwide, 18.64% had registered for MHV, 11.06% refilled prescriptions via MHV, and 1.91% used secure messaging with their clinical providers. Results from the multivariable regression suggest that patients with HIV, hyperlipidemia, and spinal cord injury had the highest predicted probabilities of adoption, whereas those with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, alcohol or drug abuse, and stroke had the lowest. Variation was observed across diagnoses in actual (unadjusted) adoption and use, with registration rates ranging from 29.19% of patients with traumatic brain injury to 14.18% of those with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. Some of the variation in actual reach can be explained by facility-level differences in MHV adoption and by differences in patients' sociodemographic characteristics (eg, age, race, income) by diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In this phase of early adoption, opportunities are being missed for those with specific medical conditions that require intensive treatment and self-management, which could be greatly supported by functions of a tethered personal health record.

Comparison of risk and age at diagnosis of myocardial infarction, end-stage renal disease, and non-AIDS-defining cancer in HIV-infected versus uninfected adults

BACKGROUND

Although it has been shown that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults are at greater risk for aging-associated events, it remains unclear as to whether these events happen at similar, or younger ages, in HIV-infected compared with uninfected adults. The objective of this study was to compare the median age at, and risk of, incident diagnosis of 3 age-associated diseases in HIV-infected and demographically similar uninfected adults.

METHODS

The study was nested in the clinical prospective Veterans Aging Cohort Study of HIV-infected and demographically matched uninfected veterans, from 1 April 2003 to 31 December 2010. The outcomes were validated diagnoses of myocardial infarction (MI), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and non-AIDS-defining cancer (NADC). Differences in mean age at, and risk of, diagnosis by HIV status were estimated using multivariate linear regression models and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 98 687 (31% HIV-infected and 69% uninfected) adults contributed >450 000 person-years and 689 MI, 1135 ESRD, and 4179 NADC incident diagnoses. Mean age at MI (adjusted mean difference, -0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], -.59 to .37 years) and NADC (adjusted mean difference, -0.10 [95% CI, -.30 to .10] years) did not differ by HIV status. HIV-infected adults were diagnosed with ESRD at an average age of 5.5 months younger than uninfected adults (adjusted mean difference, -0.46 [95% CI, -.86 to -.07] years). HIV-infected adults had a greater risk of all 3 outcomes compared with uninfected adults after accounting for important confounders.

CONCLUSIONS

HIV-infected adults had a higher risk of these age-associated events, but they occurred at similar ages than those without HIV.

Age at antiretroviral therapy initiation predicts immune recovery, death, and loss to follow-up among HIV-infected adults in urban Zambia

We analyzed the association of age at antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation with CD4(+) T cell count recovery, death, and loss to follow-up (LTFU) among HIV-infected adults in Zambia. We compared baseline characteristics of patients by sex and age at ART initiation [categorized as 16-29 years, 30-39 years, 40-49 years, 50-59 years, and 60 years and older]. We used the medication possession ratio to assess adherence and analysis of covariance to measure the adjusted change in CD4(+) T cell count during ART. Using Cox proportional hazard regression, we examined the association of age with death and LTFU. In a secondary analysis, we repeated models with age as a continuous variable. Among 92,130 HIV-infected adults who initiated ART, the median age was 34 years and 6,281 (6.8%) were aged ≥50 years. Compared with 16-29 year olds, 40-49 year olds (-46 cells/mm(3)), 50-59 year olds (-53 cells/mm(3)), and 60+ year olds (-60 cells/mm(3)) had reduced CD4(+) T cell gains during ART. The adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) for death was increased for individuals aged ≥40 years (AHR 1.25 for 40-49 year olds, 1.56 for 50-59 year olds, and 2.97 for 60+ year olds). Adherence and retention in care were poorest among 16-29 year olds but similar in other groups. As a continuous variable, a 5-year increase in age predicted reduced CD4(+) T cell count recovery and increased risk of death. Increased age at ART initiation was associated with poorer clinical outcomes, while age <30 years was associated with a higher likelihood of being lost to follow-up. HIV treatment guidelines should consider age-specific recommendations.

Prevalence and correlates of obstructive sleep apnoea among patients with and without HIV infection

OBJECTIVES

In HIV-uninfected populations, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is commonly associated with cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and cognitive impairment. These comorbidities are common in HIV-infected patients, but there are scarce data regarding OSA in HIV-infected patients. Therefore, we examined the prevalence and correlates of OSA in a cohort of HIV-infected and uninfected patients.

METHODS

An observational cohort study was carried out. Electronic medical record and self-report data were examined in patients enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) between 2002 and 2008 and followed until 2010. The primary outcome was OSA diagnosis, determined using International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition (ICD-9) codes, in HIV-infected compared with uninfected individuals. We used regression analyses to determine the association between OSA diagnosis, symptoms and comorbidities in adjusted models.

RESULTS

Of 3683 HIV-infected and 3641 uninfected patients, 143 (3.9%) and 453 (12.4%) had a diagnosis of OSA (p<0.0001), respectively. HIV-infected patients were more likely to report symptoms associated with OSA such as tiredness and fatigue. Compared with uninfected patients with OSA, HIV-infected patients with OSA were younger, had lower body mass indexes (BMIs), and were less likely to have hypertension. In models adjusting for these traditional OSA risk factors, HIV infection was associated with markedly reduced odds of OSA diagnosis (odds ratio 0.48; 95% confidence interval 0.39-0.60).

CONCLUSIONS

HIV-infected patients are less likely to receive a diagnosis of OSA. Future studies are needed to determine whether the lower prevalence of OSA diagnoses in HIV-infected patients is attributable to decreased screening and detection or to a truly decreased likelihood of OSA in the setting of HIV infection.

Identifying the appropriate comparison group for HIV-infected individuals

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

HIV-infected individuals are living longer as a result of effective treatment. Age-related comorbidities now account for the majority of morbidity and mortality among treated HIV-infected adults. Previous findings regarding the age at, and risk of, these comorbidities have been mixed, sparking debate in the field. Discerning potential differences in the occurrence and burden of age-related comorbidities among treated HIV-infected adults as compared with uninfected adults of the same age requires careful selection of the appropriate uninfected comparison group.

RECENT FINDINGS

The validity of comparisons with HIV-uninfected populations is threatened when differences in demographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics between HIV-infected and uninfected adults are not considered. Identifying a pool of HIV-uninfected individuals from existing secondary data resources and employing selection methodologies may be a novel approach to reduce threats to internal validity. Issues related to identifying data sources, understanding inclusion criteria, determining measurement error, and threats to inference are discussed.

SUMMARY

The development of clinical interventions targeting age-related comorbidities will rely on deriving valid inferences from appropriate comparison groups. The use of secondary data resources and selection methodology to create the appropriate uninfected comparison group is an attractive approach in the setting of finite resources, but are not without limitations.

Delivering PACT-principled care: are specialty care patients being left behind?

BACKGROUND

With the reorganization of primary care into Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) teams, the Veteran Affairs Health System (VA) aims to ensure all patients receive care based on patient-centered medical home (PCMH) principles. However, some patients receive the preponderance of care from specialty rather than primary care clinics because of the special nature of their clinical conditions. We examined seven VA (HIV) clinics as a model to test the extent to which such patients receive PCMH-principled care.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the extent to which HIV specialty care in VA conforms to PCMH principles.

DESIGN

Qualitative study.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-one HIV providers from seven HIV clinics and 20 patients from four of these clinics.

APPROACH

We conducted semi-structured interviews with HIV clinic providers and patients about care practices and adherence to PCMH principles. Using an iterative approach, data was analyzed using both a content analysis and an a priori, PCMH-principled coding strategy.

KEY RESULTS

Patients with HIV receive varying levels of PCMH-principled care across a range of VA HIV clinic structures. The more PCMH-principled HIV clinics largely functioned as PCMHs; patients received integrated, coordinated, comprehensive primary care within a dedicated HIV clinic. In contrast, some clinics were unable to meet the criteria of being a patient's medical home, and instead functioned primarily as a place to receive HIV-related services with limited care coordination. Patients from the less PCMH-principled clinics reported less satisfaction with their care.

CONCLUSIONS

Even in a large, integrated healthcare system, there is wide variation in patients' receipt of PCMH-principled care in specialty care settings. In order to meet the goal of having all patients receiving PCMH-principled care, there needs to be careful consideration of where primary and specialty care services are delivered and coordinated. The best mechanisms for ensuring that patients with complex medical conditions receive PCMH-principled care may need to be tailored to different specialty care contexts.

Taking it one day at a time: African American women aging with HIV and co-morbidities

Self-managing HIV/AIDS presents challenges for anyone infected. These challenges may be further complicated for older HIV-infected African American women who acquired the disease at younger ages and now have co-morbidities. Little is known regarding how women's age identity, social responsibilities, co-morbidities, and romantic relationship status influence their HIV self-management. Five focus groups were conducted in Washington DC, with HIV-positive African American women aged 52-65. Topics included HIV and co-morbidity self-management, social support needs, medication adherence, and future plans for old age. A constant comparison approach was applied during data analysis. Co-morbidities, including diabetes and hypertension, were perceived to be more difficult to self-manage than HIV. This difficulty was not attributed to aging but to daily struggles such as lack of income and/or health insurance, an inflexible work schedule, and loneliness. Social responsibilities, including caring for family, positively impacted participants' ability to self-manage HIV by serving as motivation to stay healthy in order to continue to help family members. In contrast, inflexible work schedules negatively impacted women's ability to sustain medication adherence. Overall, this study demonstrates that HIV and co-morbidity self-management are inextricably linked. We can no longer afford to view engagement in HIV care as a single-disease issue and hope to attain optimal health and well-being in our HIV-affected populations. Optimal HIV self-management must be framed within a larger context that simultaneously addresses HIV and co-morbidities, while considering how social and cultural factors uniquely intersect to influence older African American women's self-management strategies.

Increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with age in HIV-positive men: a comparison of the D:A:D CVD risk equation and general population CVD risk equations

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to statistically model the relative increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) per year older in Data collection on Adverse events of anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) and to compare this with the relative increased risk of CVD per year older in general population risk equations.

METHODS

We analysed three endpoints: myocardial infarction (MI), coronary heart disease (CHD: MI or invasive coronary procedure) and CVD (CHD or stroke). We fitted a number of parametric age effects, adjusting for known risk factors and antiretroviral therapy (ART) use. The best-fitting age effect was determined using the Akaike information criterion. We compared the ageing effect from D:A:D with that from the general population risk equations: the Framingham Heart Study, CUORE and ASSIGN risk scores.

RESULTS

A total of 24 323 men were included in analyses. Crude MI, CHD and CVD event rates per 1000 person-years increased from 2.29, 3.11 and 3.65 in those aged 40-45 years to 6.53, 11.91 and 15.89 in those aged 60-65 years, respectively. The best-fitting models included inverse age for MI and age + age(2) for CHD and CVD. In D:A:D there was a slowly accelerating increased risk of CHD and CVD per year older, which appeared to be only modest yet was consistently raised compared with the risk in the general population. The relative risk of MI with age was not different between D:A:D and the general population.

CONCLUSIONS

We found only limited evidence of accelerating increased risk of CVD with age in D:A:D compared with the general population. The absolute risk of CVD associated with HIV infection remains uncertain.

Geographic access and use of infectious diseases specialty and general primary care services by veterans with HIV infection: implications for telehealth and shared care programs

PURPOSE

Rural-dwelling persons with HIV infection often have limited access to HIV specialty care, and they may instead use more nearby primary care. This study described use of infectious disease (ID) specialty and general primary care services among rural compared with urban veterans with HIV in the United States and determined associations between geographic access to ID and primary care and use of care.

METHODS

The sample included all veterans in the national Veterans Administration (VA) HIV clinical case registry in 2009 (N = 23,669, 10.2% rural). Geographic access was measured by calculating travel times to the nearest VA primary care and ID specialty clinic.

FINDINGS

Rural veterans were less likely than urban to use ID clinics (82% of rural vs 87% of urban, P < .01) and more likely to use primary care (82% vs 73%, P < .01). As travel time to ID care increased from less than 15 minutes to over 90 minutes, use of ID care decreased from 88% to 71% (P < .01), while use of primary care increased from 68% to 86% (P < .0001). In multivariable models, increased travel time to ID care-but not rural residence-was associated with decreased ID and increased primary care use.

CONCLUSIONS

Persons with HIV who live far from ID specialty clinics are less likely to use specialty care and more likely to use primary care. Specialty clinics should consider using telehealth to deliver care over distance and programs to coordinate "shared care" relationships with distant primary care providers.

Evidence informing the intersection of HIV, aging and health: a scoping review

The growing number of people over age 50 with HIV requires research, policy, and practice to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the health consequences of HIV in older individuals. We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey literature published since 1996 to explore the impacts of aging on the health of older people with HIV (50 years or older). We included 209 studies (two systematic reviews, 174 quantitative studies, 28 qualitative studies, and five mixed methods studies). Health topics addressed include: HIV- and aging-related comorbidities, disease progression, neurocognitive functioning, mental health conditions, psychological well-being, social supports, stigma, antiretroviral adherence, health care utilization/access, and sexual risk behaviour. We recommend that future research takes a broader view of health, looks at aging from a strength-based perspective and examines the issue using diverse perspectives (i.e., geographic location, multiple methods, time of diagnosis, time on antiretroviral therapy (ART), demographic diversity).

Considerations for conducting Web-based survey research with people living with human immunodeficiency virus using a community-based participatory approach

Background

Web or Internet-based surveys are increasingly popular in health survey research. However, the strengths and challenges of Web-based surveys with people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are unclear.

Objective

The aim of this article is to describe our experience piloting a cross-sectional, Web-based, self-administered survey with adults living with HIV using a community-based participatory research approach.

Methods

We piloted a Web-based survey that investigated disability and rehabilitation services use with a sample of adults living with HIV in Canada. Community organizations in five provinces emailed invitations to clients, followed by a thank you/reminder one week later. We obtained survey feedback in a structured phone interview with respondents. Participant responses were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using directed content analysis.

Results

Of 30 people living with HIV who accessed the survey link, 24/30 (80%) initiated and 16/30 (53%) completed the survey instrument. A total of 17 respondents participated in post-survey interviews. Participants described the survey instrument as comprehensive, suggesting content validity. The majority (13/17, 76%) felt instruction and item wording were clear and easy to understand, and found the software easy to navigate. Participants felt having a pop-up reminder directing them to missed items would be useful.

Conclusions

Strengths of implementing the Web-based survey included: our community-based participatory approach, ease of software use, ability for respondents to complete the questionnaire on one’s own time at one’s own pace, opportunity to obtain geographic variation, and potential for respondent anonymity. Considerations for future survey implementation included: respondent burden and fatigue, the potentially sensitive nature of HIV Web-based research, data management and storage, challenges verifying informed consent, varying computer skills among respondents, and the burden on community organizations. Overall, results provide considerations for researchers conducting community-based participatory Web-based survey research with people living with HIV.

A cross-sectional, population-based study measuring comorbidity among people living with HIV in Ontario

BACKGROUND

As people diagnosed with HIV and receiving combination antiretroviral therapy are now living longer, they are likely to acquire chronic conditions related to normal ageing and the effects of HIV and its treatment. Comordidities for people with HIV have not previously been described from a representative population perspective.

METHODS

We used linked health administrative data from Ontario, Canada. We applied a validated algorithm to identify people with HIV among all residents aged 18 years or older between April 1, 1992 and March 31, 2009. We randomly selected 5 Ontario adults who were not identified with HIV for each person with HIV for comparison. Previously validated case definitions were used to identify persons with mental health disorders and any of the following physical chronic diseases: diabetes, congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, peripheral vascular disease and end-stage renal failure. We examined multimorbidity prevalence as the presence of at least two physical chronic conditions, or as combined physical-mental health multimorbidity. Direct age-sex standardized rates were calculated for both cohorts for comparison.

RESULTS

34.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 33.6% to 35.2%) of people with HIV had at least one other physical condition. Prevalence was especially high for mental health conditions (38.6%), hypertension (14.9%) and asthma (12.7%). After accounting for age and sex differences, people with HIV had significantly higher prevalence of all chronic conditions except myocardial infarction and hypertension, as well as substantially higher multimorbidity (prevalence ratio 1.30, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.44) and combined physical-mental health multimorbidity (1.79, 95% CI 1.65 to 1.94). Prevalence of multimorbidity among people with HIV increased with age. The difference in prevalence of multimorbidity between the two cohorts was more pronounced among women.

CONCLUSION

People living with HIV in Ontario, especially women, had higher prevalence of comorbidity and multimorbidity than the general population. Quantifying this morbidity at the population level can help inform healthcare delivery requirements for this complex population.

Aging and HIV/AIDS: neurocognitive implications for older HIV-positive Latina/o adults

In recent years, HIV/AIDS populations have become older and increasingly more ethnically diverse. Concurrently, the prevalence of HIV-related neurocognitive (NC) impairment remains high. This study examined the effects of age and ethnicity on NC function in HIV-positive adults. The sample (N = 126; 84 Latina/o and 42 Non-Hispanic White) completed a comprehensive NC battery. Global NC and domain average demographically-corrected t-scores were generated. There were no significant differences between Younger (<50 years) Latina/os and non-Hispanic Whites on Global NC function or NC domains (all p's >.10), with generally small effect sizes. Older Latina/os (≥50 years) were significantly more impaired than Older Non-Hispanic Whites on processing speed and learning, with trends in Global NC function and memory. Further, effect sizes fell within the medium to large range (Cohen's d's = .49-1.15). This study suggests that older Latina/os are at potentially greater risk for NC impairment, particularly in processing speed and learning, when compared to similarly-aged non-Hispanic whites.

Serious Non-AIDS events: Immunopathogenesis and interventional strategies

Despite the major advances in the management of HIV infection, HIV-infected patients still have greater morbidity and mortality than the general population. Serious non-AIDS events (SNAEs), including non-AIDS malignancies, cardiovascular events, renal and hepatic disease, bone disorders and neurocognitive impairment, have become the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the antiretroviral therapy (ART) era. SNAEs occur at the rate of 1 to 2 per 100 person-years of follow-up. The pathogenesis of SNAEs is multifactorial and includes the direct effect of HIV and associated immunodeficiency, underlying co-infections and co-morbidities, immune activation with associated inflammation and coagulopathy as well as ART toxicities. A number of novel strategies such as ART intensification, treatment of co-infection, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and agents that reduce microbial translocation are currently being examined for their potential effects in reducing immune activation and SNAEs. However, currently, initiation of ART before advanced immunodeficiency, smoking cessation, optimisation of cardiovascular risk factors and treatment of HCV infection are most strongly linked with reduced risk of SNAEs or mortality. Clinicians should therefore focus their attention on addressing these issues prior to the availability of further data.

Co-morbidity, ageing and predicted mortality in antiretroviral treated Australian men: a quantitative analysis

Background

Life expectancy has increased in HIV-positive individuals receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART); however, they still experience increased mortality due to ageing-associated comorbidities compared with HIV-negative individuals.

Methods

A retrospective study of 314 Queensland HIV-infected males on cART was conducted. The negative impact of ageing was assessed by estimating the probability of 5-year mortality; comparisons were made between an HIV-specific predictive tool (VACS index) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) life-tables to examine potential differences attributed to HIV. The negative impact of ageing was also assessed by the prevalence of comorbidities. Associations between comorbidity and estimates of predicted mortality by regression analysis were assessed.

Results

The mean predicted 5-year mortality rate was 6% using the VACS index compared with 2.1% using the ABS life-table (p<0.001). The proportion of patients at predicted high risk of mortality (>9%) using the VACS index or ABS life-table were 17% and 1.8% respectively. Comorbidities were also more prevalent in this cohort compared with rates of comorbidities in age-matched Australian men from the general population. Metabolic disease (38.2%) was the most prevalent comorbidity followed by renal (33.1%) and cardiovascular disease (23.9%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that patients with a history of cardiovascular disease had a higher predicted risk of mortality (OR=1.69;95%CI:1.17-2.45) whereas ex-smokers had a lower predicted risk of mortality (OR=0.61;95%CI:0.41-0.92).

Conclusions

Using the VACS Index there is an increased predicted risk of mortality in cART-treated HIV infected Australian men compared with age-matched men using the ABS data. This increased predicted mortality risk is associated with cardiovascular disease and the number of comorbidities per subject; which suggests that the VACS Index may discriminate between high and low predicted mortality risks in this population. However, until the VACS Index is validated in Australia this data may suggest the VACS Index overestimates predicted mortality risk in this country.

Is HIV a model of accelerated or accentuated aging?

BACKGROUND

Antiretroviral therapy has reduced the incidence of adverse events and early mortality in HIV-infected persons. Despite these benefits, important comorbidities that increase with age (eg, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, liver disease, and neurocognitive impairment) are more prevalent in HIV-infected persons than in HIV-uninfected persons at every age, and geriatric syndromes such as falls and frailty occur earlier in HIV-infected persons. This raises a critical research question: Does HIV accelerate aging through pathways and mechanisms common to the aging process or is HIV simply an additional risk factor for a wide number of chronic conditions, thus accentuating aging?

METHODS

Extensive literature review.

RESULTS

The purpose of this review is to briefly outline the evidence that age-related clinical syndromes are exacerbated by HIV, examine the ways in which HIV is similar, and dissimilar from natural aging, and assess the validity of HIV as a model of premature aging. Specific biomarkers of aging are limited in HIV-infected hosts and impacted by antiretroviral therapy, and a high rate of modifiable life style confounders (eg, smoking, substance abuse, alcohol) and coinfections (eg, hepatitis) in HIV-infected participants.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for validated biomarkers of aging in the context of HIV. Despite these differences, welldesigned studies of HIV-infected participants are likely to provide new opportunities to better understand the mechanisms that lead to aging and age-related diseases.

Gender differences in baseline health, needs at release, and predictors of care engagement among HIV-positive clients leaving jail

Women represent a significant and growing segment of jail detainees and persons living with HIV. This paper examines gender differences in health status, care and social service needs, and care engagement among jail releasees with HIV. Data are from 1,270 participants in the HRSA-funded Enhancing Linkages to HIV Primary Care and Social Services multisite demonstration project (EnhanceLink). Compared to men, more women reported homelessness, reduced adherence to prescribed ART, worse health, more severe substance use disorders, and more chronic health conditions. Men and women generally reported different needs post-release. As the number of expressed needs increased, women were more likely to drop out of care. Our findings suggest that effective and gender-specific strategies are required to identify needs, link services between jails and communities, and sustain retention of women with HIV in programs after release from criminal justice settings.

Documentation of psychiatric disorders and related factors in a large sample population of HIV-positive patients in California

This retrospective cohort study examined electronic medical records of HIV-positive patients in California (N = 7,834) to find the prevalence of any psychiatric condition and the associations between several factors and the likelihood of these disorders. Approximately 53 % of the patients in this study had a documented psychiatric condition, including 23 % who had a mood disorder, 19 % who had a substance-related disorder, and 16 % who had an anxiety disorder. After controlling for potential confounders, significant positive associations (p < 0.001) were found between female gender and the presence of any mood disorder (adjusted odds ratio [95 % confidence interval, 95 %CI] = 1.58 [1.26-1.99]) or anxiety disorder (AOR = 1.54 [1.18-2.02]) and between homosexual orientation and the presence of any psychiatric condition (AOR = 1.33 [1.15-1.55]), mood disorder (AOR = 1.71 [1.42-2.07]), or anxiety disorder (AOR = 1.41 [1.22-1.88]). There were also significant negative associations between African-American race and the presence of any psychiatric condition (AOR = 0.68 [0.60-0.77]), mood disorder (AOR = 0.74 [0.64-0.86]), anxiety disorder (AOR = 0.43 [0.36-0.52]), or substance-related disorder (AOR = 0.78 [0.67-0.91]) and between state/federal insurance and the presence of any psychiatric condition (AOR = 0.70 [0.62-0.79]), mood disorder (AOR = 0.71 [0.62-0.80]), or anxiety disorder (AOR = 0.77 [0.66-0.89]).

Cost of noninfectious comorbidities in patients with HIV

Objectives

We hypothesized that the increased prevalence of noninfectious comorbidities (NICMs) observed among HIV-infected patients may result in increased direct costs of medical care compared to the general population. Our objective was to provide estimates of and describe factors contributing to direct costs for medical care among HIV-infected patients, focusing on NICM care expenditure.

Methods

A case-control study analyzing direct medical care costs in 2009. Antiretroviral therapy (ART)-experienced HIV-infected patients (cases) were compared to age, sex, and race-matched adults from the general population, included in the CINECA ARNO database (controls). NICMs evaluated included cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bone fractures, and renal failure. Medical care cost information evaluated included pharmacy, outpatient, and inpatient hospital expenditures. Linear regression models were constructed to evaluate predictors of total care cost for the controls and cases.

Results

There were 2854 cases and 8562 controls. Mean age was 46 years and 37% were women. We analyzed data from 29,275 drug prescription records. Positive predictors of health care cost in the overall population: HIV infection (β = 2878; confidence interval (CI) = 2001–3755); polypathology (β = 8911; CI = 8356–9466); age (β = 62; CI = 45–79); and ART exposure (β = 18,773; CI = 17,873–19,672). Predictors of health care cost among cases: Center for Disease Control group C (β = 1548; CI = 330–2766); polypathology (β = 11,081; CI = 9447–12,716); age < 50 years (β = 1903; CI = 542–3264); protease inhibitor exposure (per month of use; β = 69; CI = 53–85); CD4 count < 200 cells/mm³ (β = 5438; CI = 3082–7795); and ART drug change (per change; β = 911; CI = 716–1106).

Conclusion

Total cost of medical care is higher in cases than controls. Lower medical costs associated with higher CD4 strata are offset by increases in the care costs needed for advancing age, particularly for NICMs.

The next therapeutic challenge in HIV: polypharmacy

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.

Polypharmacy in the HIV-infected older adult population

The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among people older than 50 years is increasing. Older HIV-infected patients are particularly at risk for polypharmacy because they often have multiple comorbidities that require pharmacotherapy. Overall, there is not much known with respect to both the impact of aging on medication use in HIV-infected individuals, and the potential for interactions with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and coadministered medications and its clinical consequences. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of polypharmacy with a focus on its impact on the HIV-infected older adult population and to also provide some clinical considerations in this high-risk population.

A comparison of HAART outcomes between the US military HIV Natural History Study (NHS) and HIV Atlanta Veterans Affairs Cohort Study (HAVACS)

Introduction

The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provide comprehensive HIV treatment and care to their beneficiaries with open access and few costs to the patient. Individuals who receive HIV care in the VA have higher rates of substance abuse, homelessness and unemployment than individuals who receive HIV care in the DoD. A comparison between individuals receiving HIV treatment and care from the DoD and the VA provides an opportunity to explore the impact of individual-level characteristics on clinical outcomes within two healthcare systems that are optimized for clinic retention and medication adherence.

Methods

Data were collected on 1065 patients from the HIV Atlanta VA Cohort Study (HAVACS) and 1199 patients from the US Military HIV Natural History Study (NHS). Patients were eligible if they had an HIV diagnosis and began HAART between January 1, 1996 and June 30, 2010. The analysis examined the survival from HAART initiation to all-cause mortality or an AIDS event.

Results

Although there was substantial between-cohort heterogeneity and the 12-year survival of participants in NHS was significantly higher than in HAVACS in crude analyses, this survival disparity was reduced from 21.5% to 1.6% (mortality only) and 26.8% to 4.1% (combined mortality or AIDS) when controlling for clinical and demographic variables.

Conclusion

We assessed the clinical outcomes for individuals with HIV from two very similar government-sponsored healthcare systems that reduced or eliminated many barriers associated with accessing treatment and care. After controlling for clinical and demographic variables, both 12-year survival and AIDS-free survival rates were similar for the two study cohorts who have open access to care and medication despite dramatic differences in socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics.

Aging with HIV: an overview of an urban cohort in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) across decades of life

The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy during the 1990s was crucial to the decline in the rates of morbidity and death related to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and turned human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection into a chronic condition. Consequently, the HIV/AIDS population is becoming older. The aim of this study was to describe the immunological, clinical and comorbidity profile of an urban cohort of patients with HIV/AIDS followed up at Instituto de Pesquisa Clinica Evandro Chagas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Retrospective data from 2307 patients during January 1st, 2008 and December 31st, 2008 were collected. For continuous variables, Cuzick's non-parametric test was used. For categorical variables, the Cochran–Armitage non-parametric test for tendency was used. For all tests, the threshold for statistical significance was set at 5%. In 2008, 1023 (44.3%), 823 (35.7%), 352 (15.3%) and 109 (4.7%) were aged 18–39, 40–49, 50–59 and ≥60 years-old, respectively. Older and elderly patients (≥40 years) were more likely to have viral suppression than younger patients (18–39 years) (p < 0.001). No significant difference in the latest CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count in the different age strata was observed, although elderly patients (≥ 50 years) had lower CD4⁺ T lymphocyte nadir (p < 0.02). The number of comorbidities increased with age and the same pattern was observed for the majority of the comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, erectile dysfunction, HCV, renal dysfunction and also for non-AIDS-related cancers (p < 0.001). With the survival increase associated to successful antiretroviral therapy and with the increasing new infections among elderly group, the burden associated to the diagnosis and treatment of the non-AIDS related HIV comorbidities will grow. Longitudinal studies on the impact of aging on the HIV/AIDS population are still necessary, especially in resource-limited countries.

Socio-demographic Profile of Older Adults with HIV/AIDS: Gender and Sexual Orientation Differences

Utilisant des données recueillies par Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study (OCS), l’objectif principal de cette étude était de décrire les caractéristiques socio-demographiques d’un échantillon de personnes âgées (50 ans et plus) de l’Ontario (n = 1 129) vivant avec le VIH /SIDA. L’objectif secondaire était de comparer quatre sous-echantillons de PVVIH : les femmes (10,6%), les hommes heterosexuels (16,7%), les hommes homosexuels (65,8%), et les hommes bisexuels (6,9%). Ces groupes diffèrent d’une manière significative dans l’âge, l’éducation, le revenu, la nationalité, la race, et le temps passé atteints du VIH. En comparaison à d’autres groupes, les hommes gais et bisexuels (HGB) ont déclaré une stigmatisation plus baisse associée au VIH, et aussi à la stigmatisation sur la divulgation, à la stigmatisation associée à l’image negative de soi, et la stigmatisation associée aux attitudes publiques. HGB ont également signalé une meilleure qualité de vie en ce qui concerne la santé mentale, les scores plus baisses pour la dépression et des scores plus faibles pour l’ inadaptation face à la vie. Ces résultats suggèrent que les services pour les PVVIH plus âgées, y compris la formation sur le VIH pour les prestataires des services pour VIH et les gérontologues, peuvent avoir besoin de répondre aux besoins spécifiques de ces sous-populations.