Predictors of health-related quality of life among military HIV-infected individuals

Health-related quality of life and associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS in Sichuan, China: A cross-sectional study

Purpose

This study aimed to explore health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) in Sichuan, China.

Methods

A total of 401 PLWH were recruited from the city of Panzhihua between August 2018 and January 2019. Demographic characteristics and disease-related data were collected by self-administered questionnaires and medical system records. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured by the medical outcome study HIV health survey (MOS-HIV), which measured ten subdimensions and two summarized dimensions, the physical health summary score (PHS) and the mental health summary score (MHS). Logistic regression models were used to explore the variables independently associated with quality of life.

Results

The PHS and MHS measured by MOS-HIV were 53.66 ± 6.80 and 51.31 ± 7.66, respectively. Younger age, higher educational level, no methadone use, higher CD4 lymphocyte counts, less symptom counts and heathy BMI significantly were associated with higher HRQOL in the univariate χ2-test analysis. Education level was found to have a significant influence on patients' quality of life, both in physical health (P = 0.022) and mental health (P = 0.002) dimensions. Younger age (P = 0.032), higher CD4 lymphocyte counts (P = 0.007), less symptom counts (P < 0.001) and health BMI level (P < 0.001) were positively related to the PHS of quality of life in the multivariable logistic regression model.

Conclusion

The HRQoL of PLWH in Sinchuan Province was relatively low. Age, educational level, methadone use, CD4 lymphocyte counts, symptom counts and BMI were positively related to quality of life. This study indicates that health caregivers should pay more attention to comorbidity issues and mental health in PLWH, especially for those with lower education levels, unhealthy body mass index, more symptomatic presentation and older age.

Cardiometabolic Diseases and Quality-of-Life Outcomes in Adults With HIV in the Deep South: A Cross-sectional Study

ABSTRACT

The role of cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) on physical health-related quality of life (P-HRQoL) and quality of sleep was examined among 261 PLWH ≥40 years, recruited from a university-affiliated HIV clinic in the Deep U.S. South. Using a cross-sectional study design, participants completed the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV; P-HRQoL) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The overall prevalence of self-reporting ≥1 CMD was 64.4%. P-HRQoL scores were lower in PLWH with ≥1 CMD compared with those with no CMDs (45.53 ± 11.54 vs. 49.67 ± 10.77, p <.01). Poor sleep quality was higher among participants with ≥1 CMD compared with those with no CMDs (9.28 ± 4.42 vs. 7.26 ± 4.17, p <.01). Each additional CMD resulted in a 1.83-point decrease in P-HRQoL and 0.74-point increase in poor sleep quality scores. Interventions that focus on targeting these quality-of-life domains in PLWH with CMDs are needed.

Synergist effect of antiretroviral therapy adherence and viral load suppression on quality of life of people with HIV/AIDS

AIMS

This study investigated the synergistic and independent effects of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and viral load on quality of life (QoL) among people with HIV/AIDS.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 129 patients with HIV/AIDS. The WHOQOL-BREF and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale were used to measure QoL and adherence respectively. Information on viral load and CD4 cell count was obtained from patients' records and verified by a physician. An additive interaction method was used to estimate the synergistic effect of the linear regression.

FINDINGS

Patients who were adhering to ART and had an undetectable viral load had significantly higher scores on four domains of QoL - environment, physical health, social relationships and psychological - than those who were non-adherent. Moreover, ART adherence and undetectable viral load had a positive synergistic effect on QoL after controlling for covariate variables.

CONCLUSION

Participants were more likely to have a good QoL if they had both undetectable viral loads and good ART adherence.

Predictors of in-hospital mortality in a cohort of people living with HIV (PLHIV) admitted to an academic medical intensive care unit from 2009 to 2014: A retrospective cohort study

Outcomes for critically ill people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) have changed with the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). To identify these outcomes and correlates of mortality in a contemporary critically ill cohort in an urban academic medical center in Baltimore, a city with a high burden of HIV, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of individuals admitted to a medical intensive care unit (MICU) at a tertiary care center between 2009 and 2014. PLHIV who were at least 18 years of age with an index MICU admission of ≥24 hours during the 5-year study period were included in this analysis. Data were obtained for participants from the time of MICU admission until hospital discharge and up to 180 days after MICU admission. Logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of hospital mortality. Between June 2009 and June 2014, 318 PLHIV admitted to the MICU met inclusion criteria. Eighty-six percent of the patients were non-Hispanic Blacks. Poorly controlled HIV was very common with 70.2% of patients having a CD4 cell count <200 cells/mm3 within 3 months prior to admission and only 34% of patients having an undetectable HIV viral load. Hospital mortality for the cohort was 17%. In a univariate model, mortality did not differ by demographic variables, CD4 cell count, HIV viral load, or ART use. Regression analysis adjusted by relevant covariates revealed that MICU patients admitted from the hospital ward were 6.4 times more likely to die in hospital than those admitted from emergency department. Other positive predictors were a diagnosis of end-stage liver disease, cardiac arrest, ventilator-dependent respiratory failure, vasopressor requirement, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and symptomatic cytomegalovirus disease. In conclusion, in this critically ill cohort with HIV infection, most predictors of mortality were not directly related to HIV and were similar to those for the general population.

Health-related quality of life and its predictors among adults living with HIV/AIDS and receiving antiretroviral therapy in Pakistan

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is considered to be the fourth 90 of UNAIDS 90-90-90 target to monitor the effects of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART has significantly increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). However, the impact of chronic infection on HRQoL remains unclear, while factors influencing the HRQoL may vary from one country to another. The current study aimed to assess HRQoL and its associated factors among PLWHA receiving ART in Pakistan.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among PLWHA attending an ART centre of a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. HRQoL was assessed using a validated Urdu version of EuroQol 5 dimensions 3 level (EQ-5D-3L) and its Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS).

RESULTS

Of the 602 patients included in the analyses, 59.5% (n = 358) reported no impairment in self-care, while 63.1% (n = 380) were extremely anxious/depressed. The overall mean EQ-5D utility score and visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) score were 0.388 (SD: 0.41) and 66.20 (SD: 17.22), respectively. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that the factors significantly associated with HRQoL were: female gender; age  > 50 years; having primary and secondary education;  > 1 year since HIV diagnosis; HIV serostatus AIDS-converted; higher CD 4 T lymphocytes count; detectable viral load; and increased time to ART.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings have shown that PLWHA in Pakistan adherent to ART had a good overall HRQoL, though with significantly higher depression. Some of the factors identified are amenable to institution-based interventions while mitigating depression to enhance the HRQoL of PLWHA in Pakistan. The HRQoL determined in this study could be useful for future economic evaluation studies for ART and in designing future interventions.

Impact of Advanced HIV Disease on Quality of Life and Mortality in the Era of Combined Antiretroviral Treatment

Currently, AIDS or severe immunodeficiency remains as a challenge for people with HIV (PWHIV) and healthcare providers. Our purpose was to analyze the impact of advanced HIV disease (AHD) on mortality, life expectancy and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We reviewed cohort studies and meta-analyses conducted in middle- and high-income countries. To analyze HRQoL, we selected studies that reported overall health and/or physical/mental health scores on a validated HRQoL instrument. AIDS diagnosis supposes a higher risk of mortality during the first six months, remaining higher for 48 months. It has been reported that cancer and cardiovascular disease persist as frequent causes of mortality in PWHIV, especially those with previous or current AHD. PWHIV who initiate combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) with CD4 < 200 cells/µL have significantly lower estimated life expectancy than those with higher counts. AHD is associated with lower HRQoL, and a worse physical health or mental health status. AIDS and non-AIDS defining events are significant predictors of a lower HRQoL, especially physical health status. AHD survivors are in risk of mortality and serious comorbidities, needing special clinical attention and preventive programs for associated comorbidities. Their specific needs should be reflected in HIV guidelines.