title: Causes and pattern of mortality in HIV-infected, hospitalized patients in a tertiary care hospital: a fourteen year study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The introduction of highly active antiRetroviral therapy (HAART) in several centers in India has raised the expectation that many human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals will live longer. However, as most infected individuals remain undiagnosed till the late stage of infection; several continue to succumb to this infection even in the era of HAART.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted over a 14 year period on 2,050 HIV-infected, hospitalized patients to evaluate the pattern of mortality and to determine proportion, risk factors and causes of death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 145 deaths among HIV-infected patients were documented during hospitalization, with an overall mortality rate of 8.15%: 2.94% in the pre HAART era (1992-1996), 7.29% in the early HAART era (1997-2000) and 9.73% in the present HAART era (2001-2005). 11.7% (17/145) of deceased patients were aware of their HIV-infected status before getting admitted. Only five patients were on any antiretroviral treatment prior to admission. Ninety (62.07%) deaths were HIV-related (AIDS-defining conditions) and 55 (37.93%) were non HIV-related.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study stresses the importance of early diagnosis of HIV infection to curb adult mortality, which will continue to rise unless effective treatment interventions are introduced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, AP, India.
authors.forename: Vijay Dharma
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Teja
authors.forename: Talasila
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sudha
authors.forename: Vemu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lakshmi
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents