title: Analysing the workload from HIV inpatients: a 10-month retrospective study.
abstract: To assess the clinical and laboratory workload arising from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related inpatient admissions in a London teaching hospital, a 10-month retrospective audit was performed of the casenotes of all HIV-infected inpatients admitted under the care of one consultant physician. During this period, 84 inpatients were identified who generated 371 admissions, of whom 71 (84.5%) had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Over two-thirds of admissions were essentially day cases, attributed to blood transfusions, antimicrobial and tumour, chemotherapy, and minor surgery; with blood transfusions alone accounting for 43% of all admissions. Pulmonary infections (pyogenic and cell-mediated opportunist) accounted for 46 (12%) of admissions, with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia second only to blood transfusions in caseload prevalence score (see below). Neurological complications of AIDS were associated with the longest admissions. Laboratory-based investigations were heavily utilized by AIDS inpatients, particularly bacteriological services. Choice of radiological investigation correlated with the anatomical site of disease presentation: plain radiology for chest symptoms, ultrasound for abdominal symptoms and computerized tomography (CT scanning) for neurological presentations. Drug-induced anaemia accounted for a substantial number of HIV-related admissions for red cell transfusions, which together with the disproportionate workload from daycase-type admissions, might be better handled in lower dependency day wards.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pinching
mesh_terms: D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015497:HIV-1; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008131:London; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013038:Specialization