title: HIV-related admissions to a district general hospital in the U.K.: a single centre study.
abstract: This study evaluates the patient and disease characteristics, potential cost implications and short-term outcomes of 64 adult patients admitted with HIV-related illnesses. The majority (65.6%) were black Africans and 75% were immigrants to the U.K. Of the 64 patients, 61% were unaware of their HIV status at admission; 50% had CD4 count <50 cells/microl and 48% had viral load >10(5) copies/ml. Thirty-eight patients had AIDS and this accounted for 66% of the total 897 inpatient days (equivalent to 16.5-30.2 patient years of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), depending on the type of HAART regimen used). Fifteen (23.8%) died in hospital, and of these 11 had AIDS and a CD4 count <200 cells/microl. Immigrants from countries of high prevalence accounted for the majority of the inpatient HIV caseload. They presented late and had high in-hospital mortality. Screening programmes to allow early diagnosis and treatment should be adapted to reach migrant populations.
authors.affiliation: Royal Beerkshire Hospital, London Road, Reading.
authors.forename: Udaya P
authors.initials: UP
authors.lastname: Udayaraj
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vaux
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006767:Hospitals, District / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult