HIV care cascade before and after hospitalization: impact of a multidisciplinary inpatient team in the US South

Hospitalization represents a unique opportunity to re-engage out-of-care individuals, improve HIV outcomes and reduce health disparities. Electronic health records of HIV-positive individuals hospitalized at an urban, public hospital between September 2013 and December 2015 were reviewed. In October 2014, a multidisciplinary HIV consult team (HIV specialist, case manager, and transitional care nurse (TCN)) was implemented. Engagement in care, retention in care and virologic suppression before and after hospitalization were compared between the pre- and post-intervention periods and by treatment received. Of 1056 inpatient admissions (pre-intervention = 571, post-intervention = 485), the majority were among males (69%) and racial/ethnic minorities (55% Black, 23% Hispanic). Each step of the HIV care cascade increased after hospitalization for both time periods (p < 0.01 for each comparison). Those who received the HIV consult (N = 131) or consult + TCN (N = 128) had greater increases in engagement in care (23.7% and 30.5% v. 11.1%, p = 0.04 and <0.01 respectively) and virologic suppression (28.3% and 29.7% v.7.1%, p <0.01 for both) than the no intervention (N = 225) subgroup. Hospitalized patients with HIV have low rates of engagement in care, retention in care and virologic suppression, though all three outcomes improved after hospitalization. A multidisciplinary transitions team improved care engagement and virologic suppression in those who received the intervention.

Uptake and virological outcomes of single- versus multi-tablet antiretroviral regimens among treatment-naïve youth in the HIV Research Network

OBJECTIVES

Several single-tablet regimens (STRs) are now available and are recommended for first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART); however, STR use for youth with HIV (YHIV) has not been systematically studied. We examined the characteristics associated with initiation of STRs versus multi-tablet regimens (MTRs) and the virological outcomes for youth with nonperinatally acquired HIV (nPHIV).

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of nPHIV youth aged 13-24 years initiating ART between 2006 and 2014 at 18 US HIV clinical sites in the HIV Research Network was performed. The outcomes measured were initiation of STRs versus MTRs, virological suppression (VS) at 12 months, and time to VS. Demographic and clinical factors associated with initiation of STR versus MTR ART and VS (< 400 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL) at 12 months after initiation were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess VS within the first year.

RESULTS

Of 987 youth, 67% initiated STRs. Of the 589 who had viral load data at 1 year, 84% of those on STRs versus 67% of those on MTRs achieved VS (P < 0.01). VS was associated with STR use [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-2.58], white (AOR 2.41; 95% CI 1.13-5.13) or Hispanic (AOR 2.38; 95% CI 1.32-4.27) race/ethnicity, and baseline CD4 count 351-500 cells/μL (AOR 1.94; 95% CI 1.18-3.19) and > 500 cells/μL (AOR 1.76; 95% CI 1.0-3.10). STR use was not associated with a shorter time to VS compared with MTR use [hazard ratio (HR) 1.07; 95% CI 0.90-1.28].

CONCLUSIONS

Use of STR was associated with a greater likelihood of sustained VS 12 months after ART initiation in YHIV.