Background: Due to the advent and success of antiretroviral therapy, the number of people living and aging with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has grown substantially. Although people living with HIV (PLHIV) are experiencing longer life expectancies, this achievement may be undermined by increasing and disproportionate chronic disease burden among PLHIV.
Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of adult (≥18 years) inpatient hospital discharges from a large hospital system in the New York City, New York metropolitan area, between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2016. We aimed to investigate (1) changes in the prevalence of Charlson-defined comorbidities among PLHIV hospitalized between 2006 and 2016 and (2) changes in the unadjusted prevalence ratio (PR) of comorbidities in HIV-positive versus HIV-negative admissions over time.
Results: Of 898 139 hospital admissions from 2006-2016, 19 039 (2.1%) were HIV positive. Across all admissions during the study period, the greatest comorbidity disparities between HIV-positive and HIV-negative admissions were mild liver disease (PR, 4.9 [95% confidence interval, 4.8-5.1]), moderate or severe liver disease (PR, 2.2 [2.0-2.4]), and chronic pulmonary disease (PR, 1.8 [1.8-1.8]).
Conclusions: The prevalence and relative burden of comorbidities among hospitalized PLHIV are changing over time. Careful monitoring and intensive discharge planning may be effective strategies for addressing the evolving health needs of PLHIV.
Keywords: HIV; aging with HIV; comorbidities.
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