Prevalence and predictors of anemia among adult HIV infected patients at the University of Gondar Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Anemia is independently associated with mortality in people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome: A propensity score matching-based retrospective cohort study in China

Although previous studies have suggested that hemoglobin is related to the health status of people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (PLWHA), the role of anemia in mortality remains unclear. This study aimed to comprehensively quantify the effect of anemia on the mortality risk of PLWHA. In this retrospective cohort study, we thoroughly estimated the effect of anemia on PLWHA mortality, using data collected from January 2005 to June 2022 in the Huzhou area, in 450 subjects extracted from the database of the China Disease Prevention and Control Information System and matched them using a propensity score matching approach to balance potential confounding bias. The potential exposure-response relationship between anemia, hemoglobin concentration, and the mortality of PLWHA was also carefully estimated. A series of subgroup analyses, including interaction analysis, was further conducted to validate the robustness of the effect of anemia on PLWHA death risk. Anemia was significantly associated with an elevated death risk in PLWHA, with an increase of 74% (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]: 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-2.93; p = 0.038) in those with anemia after adjusting for potential confounders. PLWHA with moderate or severe anemia had a higher risk of death, with an 86% increase (AHR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.01-3.42; p = 0.045). Meanwhile, the AHR tended to increase by 85% on average (AHR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.37-2.50; p < 0.001) with a per standard deviation (SD) decrease in plasma hemoglobin. Consistent relationships between plasma hemoglobin and the risk of death were further observed in the results from multiple quantile regression models, restricted cubic spline regression models, and a series of subgroup analyses. Anemia is an independent risk factor for HIV/AIDS-related mortality. Our findings may provide new insights into the relevance of PLWHA administration to public health policy, which demonstrate that this low-cost and routinely measured marker (hemoglobin) can be a marker of poor prognosis even before the start of HAART.

Incidence and predictors of anemia among adults on HIV care at South Gondar Zone Public General Hospital Northwest Ethiopia, 2020; retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Anemia is a major public health problem worldwide which accounts 24.8% of the population. Subsequently, anemia is a leading killer of people living with human immunodeficiency virus and many of these deaths occur in developing countries including Ethiopia. Cross sectional studies have done on anemia and human immunodeficiency virus. However, there is limited study on incidence of anemia and its predictors among adults on HIV care, especially no survival study has been conducted in the study area.

OBJECTIVE

To assess incidence and predictors of anemia among adults on Human immunodeficiency virus care.

METHODS

An institution-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among 434 adults on HIV care from January 1st 2015 to December 30th 2019 at Debre Tabor Referral Hospital. A computer-generated simple random sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of Bahir Dar University, and also, we got implied consent to review charts from the concerned bodies in the hospital. Data were entered using Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed by using STATA version 14.0. A Kaplan Meier survival curve was utilized to estimate anemia free survival time. Bivariable and Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model were fitted to identify predictors of anemia.

RESULTS

The overall incidence density rate of anemia was 6.27 (95% CI: 0.051, 0.077) per 100 person years. Clinical stage III/IV (AHR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.02, 1.06), Body Mass Index less than 18.5 kg/m2 (AHR = 3.11; 95% CI = 1.56, 6.22), serum creatinine greater than 1.1 IU/L(AHR = 2.07; 95% CI = 1.12, 3.81) and fair/poor level of adherence(AHR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.03, 1.07) were statistically significant predictors of anemia while increased anti-retroviral treatment duration (AHR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.97, 0.99) decrease the risk of anemia at 95% confidence level.

CONCLUSION

The overall incidence density rate of anemia was high. Patients with clinical stage III/IV, body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2, serum creatinine greater than 1.1 IU/L and fair/poor level of adherence were significant predictors of anemia while increased antiretroviral treatment duration had decreased the risk of anemia.

RECOMMENDATION

Even if the overall incidence rate of anemia was lower as compared to previous studies in Ethiopia, still the incidence of anemia was high. So, prevention measures should be taken beside with HIV care especially within 6-months ART initiation.

Predictors of Anemia Among Adult HIV Positive Patients on First-Line Antiretroviral Therapy in Northwest Ethiopia: A Retrospective Follow-Up Study

Background

Globally, anemia is a common hematological disorder among HIV-infected patients. People with anemia often suffer from impaired physical functioning, psychological distress, and poor quality of life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the incidence of anemia and its determinants among HIV positive individuals in northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A total of 486 adult HIV positive patients on the first-line ART with complete information were enrolled in the adult care clinics of northwest Amhara referral hospitals from December 2015 to December 2018. EpiData version 4.2 was used for data entry and Stata version 14 for analysis. Variables having time to event nature were presented with the Kaplan–Meier function. The Cox regression model was used to identify predictors of anemia. Variables with P-values less than 0.2 in the bivariable analysis were considered in the multivariable regression. Adjusted hazard ratio with 95% CI was computed, and variables with less than 0.05 P-values in the multivariable Cox regression were taken as significant predictors of anemia.

Results

This study noted an overall 26.4 per 100 person-year observations (95% CI: 23.46, 30.74) incidence rate of anemia. According to the multivariable Cox regression, TB co-infection (AHR =1.99, 95% CI: 1.45, 2.74), zidovudine-based regimen (AHR=1.39, 95CI: 1.1, 1.85), CD4 level (AHR= 1.7, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.35), advanced WHO stage (AHR=1.32, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.74), and being underweight (AHR= 1.53, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.07) were predictors of anemia.

Conclusion

Anemia is a burden among HIV patients in the study setting. Baseline clinical variables, TB co-infection, and zidovudine-based were predictors of anemia. Therefore, early identification of anemia and addressing significant predictors are highly suggested to the study setting.

Profile of presentation of HIV-positive patients to an emergency department in Johannesburg, South Africa

Background

Despite improved availability and better access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), approximately 36% of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive South Africans are still not virally suppressed.

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe the patterns of presentation of HIV-positive patients to a major central hospital emergency department (ED).

Methods

In this prospectively designed study, consecutive HIV-positive patients presenting to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) adult ED were enrolled between 07 July 2017 and 18 October 2018.

Results

A total of 1224 participants were enrolled. Human immunodeficiency virus was newly diagnosed in 212 (17.3%) patients, 761 (75.2%) were on ART, 245 (32.2%) reported ART non-adherence, 276 (22.5%) had bacterial pneumonia, 244 (19.9%) had tuberculosis (TB), 86 (7.0%) had gastroenteritis, 205 (16.7%) required intensive care unit admission, 381 (31.1%) were admitted for ≥ 7 days and 166 (13.6%) died. With regard to laboratory parameters, CD₄ cell count was < 100 cell/mm³ in 527 (47.6%) patients, the viral load (VL) was > 1000 copies/mL in 619 (59.0%), haemoglobin was < 11 g/dL in 636 (56.3%), creatinine was > 120 µmol/L in 294 (29.3%), lactate was > 2 mmol/L in 470 (42.0%) and albumin was < 35 g/L in 633 (60.8%).

Conclusion

Human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients presenting to the CMJAH ED demonstrated a high prevalence of opportunistic infections, required a prolonged hospital stay and had high mortality rates. There is a need to improve the quality of ART services and accessibility to care.