[Changes in the spectrum of morbidity and mortality in hospital admissions of HIV infected patients during the HAART era].
OBJECTIVE
After the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), there was a decrease in hospital admissions and mortality associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The objective of this study was to analyze the changes in mortality and morbidity during the HAART era.


METHODS
We reviewed 1,343 hospital admissions from 610 HIV-infected patients between January 1995 and December 2000. We analyzed the morbidity and mortality figures at the pre-HAART last biennium (1995-1996) and those at the first and second HAART biennium (1997-1998, HAART-1, and 1999-2000, HAART-2).


RESULTS
Hospital admissions due to AIDS-defining illnesses decreased throughout the HAART era, whereas admissions caused by non-AIDS-defining illnesses increased (p < 0.001) with a significant growth in the frequency of respiratory tract infections (p = 0.004), digestive tract diseases (p < 0.001) and liver diseases (p = 0.03). There was a declining trend in hospital mortality throughout the study period. AIDS-defining illnesses decreased from the pre-HAART biennium to the HAART-1 and -2 periods (p = 0.03), whereas liver diseases increased (p = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
In the HAART era, hospital admissions and mortality due to AIDS-defining illnesses continue to decrease. Nevertheless, there is a steady increase in the number of admissions and deaths of patients with non-AIDS-defining illnesses.
Escolano Hortelano
Clara M
CM
Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital General Universitari d'Elx. Alicante. Spain. cescolanoh@coma.es
Ramos Rincón
José M
JM
Gutiérrez Rodero
Félix
F
Masiá Canuto
Mar
M
Hernández Aguado
Ildefonso
I
Benito Santaleocadia
Concepción
C
Padilla Urrea
Sergio
S
Martín-Hidalgo
Alberto
A
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies