Hospitalization and Mortality for HIV, HCV, or HIV/HCV
Hospitalization and Mortality for HIV, HCV, or HIV/HCV
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) monoinfection and hepatitis C virus (HCV) monoinfection have been the subject of much research over the past two decades; however, HIV/HCV coinfection is a growing medical concern in the U.S. Combination HIV antiretroviral therapy and combination HCV antiviral therapy have been recommended since the 1990s, as the respective treatment regimens greatly reduce patient morbidity and mortality. While HIV antiretroviral and HCV antiviral therapies are widely recommended for use in patients with HIV/HCV coinfection, these patients continue to experience poorer health outcomes than their counterparts with monoinfection. For instance, in the inpatient setting, patients with coinfection are at increased risk for accelerated progression of liver disease and increased rates of morbidity and mortality, as compared to patients with HIV or HCV monoinfection.
However, since these combination therapies became available, few studies have documented how health care utilization patterns differ for patients with coinfection versus monoinfection. Thus, the burden that patients with coinfection place on the U.S. inpatient health care delivery system, as compared to patients with monoinfection, is relatively unknown. This study chronicled and compared inpatient health care utilization, including hospitalization rates, median length of hospital stay (LOS), and patient mortality rates, for patients with HIV, HCV, or HIV/HCV coinfection.
Background
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) monoinfection and hepatitis C virus (HCV) monoinfection have been the subject of much research over the past two decades; however, HIV/HCV coinfection is a growing medical concern in the U.S. Combination HIV antiretroviral therapy and combination HCV antiviral therapy have been recommended since the 1990s, as the respective treatment regimens greatly reduce patient morbidity and mortality. While HIV antiretroviral and HCV antiviral therapies are widely recommended for use in patients with HIV/HCV coinfection, these patients continue to experience poorer health outcomes than their counterparts with monoinfection. For instance, in the inpatient setting, patients with coinfection are at increased risk for accelerated progression of liver disease and increased rates of morbidity and mortality, as compared to patients with HIV or HCV monoinfection.
However, since these combination therapies became available, few studies have documented how health care utilization patterns differ for patients with coinfection versus monoinfection. Thus, the burden that patients with coinfection place on the U.S. inpatient health care delivery system, as compared to patients with monoinfection, is relatively unknown. This study chronicled and compared inpatient health care utilization, including hospitalization rates, median length of hospital stay (LOS), and patient mortality rates, for patients with HIV, HCV, or HIV/HCV coinfection.
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