title: Influences of Allocating HIV/AIDS Specialized Nurses on Clinical Outcomes in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective cohort study was conducted to demonstrate how allocation of nurses specialized in HIV care influences clinical outcomes of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV (PLWH).
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 116 PLWH who started ART between January 2002 and December 2004 were analyzed. Occurrence of viral suppression and viral relapse after suppression achievement and their time from baseline were observed as clinical outcomes related to ART. Clinical outcomes were obtained from medical records between January 2002 and December 2006. PLWH were classified into two groups according to allocation (n = 95, nurse allocated group) or nonallocation (n =21, nurse nonallocated group) of nurses specialized in HIV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survival analysis showed that HIV viral load was suppressed more rapidly and continuously in nurse allocated group than nonallocated group (p < .0001). Viral relapse after suppression achievement occurred easily in nurse nonallocated group than allocated group (p = .003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings demonstrated that the role of specialized nurses is critically important from the viewpoint of clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Research Associate Department of Adult Nursing, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishigaki
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS Coordinator, Nurse AIDS Clinical Center, International Medical Center of Japan Toyama Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugino
authors.affiliation: Doctoral Student, Department of Adult Nursing, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Jongmi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS Coordinator, Nurse AIDS Clinical Center, International Medical Center of Japan Toyama Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS Coordinator, Nurse AIDS Clinical Center, International Medical Center of Japan Toyama Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Adult Nursing, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kazuma