Trends in hospitalizations among children and young adults with perinatally acquired HIV.

BACKGROUND: Contemporary trends in hospitalization patterns among perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV) patients are unknown. We describe rates and reasons for hospitalizations stratified by age group during 2003-2010 within a large cohort of PHIV patients. METHODS: 579 PHIV patients engaged in care at 6 geographically diverse pediatric HIV centers affiliated through the HIV Research Network were included. Modified Clinical Classification Software assigned primary ICD-9 codes into diagnostic categories. Analysis was performed using negative binomial regression with generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: There were 699 all-cause hospitalizations. The overall rate for the full cohort was 19.9/100 person-years, and overall rates for 0-4, 5-16 and 17-24 year-olds were 25.1, 14.7 and 34.2/100 person-years, respectively. Declines were seen in unadjusted all-cause rates for the whole group [incidence rate ratio per year, 0.93 (0.87-0.99)] and for 5-16 [0.87 (0.76-0.99)] and 17-24 year-olds [0.87 (0.80-0.95)]. After adjustment for CD4, HIV-1 RNA and demographics, rates were no longer declining. Non-AIDS-defining infections and AIDS-defining illnesses together caused 349 (50%) admissions. Declines in these categories drove the overall declines in unadjusted rates. No increases over time were seen for cardiovascular, renal or any other diagnostic categories. CONCLUSIONS: While the declines in hospitalizations are reassuring, continued efforts are needed to address the persistently high infectious and non-infectious morbidity among PHIV patients. Innovative strategies may be most critical for 17-24 year-olds. Lack of increases in cardiovascular and renal admissions provides modest, preliminary reassurance against severe non-infectious complications from longstanding HIV infection and antiretroviral exposure.

Predictors of highly active antiretroviral therapy utilization for behaviorally HIV-1-infected youth: impact of adult versus pediatric clinical care site.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) utilization in youth infected with HIV through risk behaviors who met treatment criteria for HAART. We assessed the impact of receiving care at an adult or pediatric HIV clinical site on initiation and discontinuation of the first HAART regimen in behaviorally infected youth (BIY). METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of treatment-naive BIY, aged 12-24 years, who enrolled in the HIV Research Network between 2002 and 2008 and who met criteria for HAART. The outcomes were time from meeting criteria to initiation of HAART and time to discontinuation of the first HAART regimen. Analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Of 287 treatment-eligible youth, 198 (69%) received HAART; of these 198 youth, 58 (29.3%) subsequently discontinued HAART. In multivariable analyses, there was no significant difference in the time between meeting treatment criteria and initiating HAART for BIY followed at adult or pediatric HIV clinical sites. However, BIY followed at adult sites discontinued HAART sooner than BIY followed at pediatric HIV clinical sites (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]: 3.19 [1.26-8.06]). CONCLUSIONS: Two-thirds of treatment-eligible BIY in the HIV Research Network cohort initiated HAART; however, one-third who initiated HAART discontinued it during the study period. Identifying factors associated with earlier HAART initiation and sustainability can inform interventions to enhance HAART utilization among treatment-eligible youth. The finding of earlier HAART discontinuation for youth at adult care sites deserves further study.

Incidence of and risk factors for community acquired pneumonia in US HIV-infected children, 2000-2005.

The incidence of and risk factors for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are described from 2000 to 2005 in a multicenter US cohort of HIV-infected children. In 736 patients, 87 episodes of CAP (33.2 events/1000 person-years) had a mean CD4% of 23% (controls: 30%) and mean CD4 cell count of 668 cells/µl (controls: 870 cells/µl). CAP incidence decreased 44% from 2000-2001 to 2002-2005. On multivariate analysis, viral load at least 100 000 copies/ml (odds ratio 3.98; confidence interval 1.05-15.13) was associated with CAP. Herd immunity through pneumococcal immunization may have diluted the effect of individual immunization in this cohort.