scholarly journals Resource Utilization and Caring Cost of People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) in Saudi Arabia: A Tertiary Care University Hospital Experience

Healthcare ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Mazin Barry ◽  
Leen Ghonem ◽  
Nourah Albeeshi ◽  
Maha Alrabiah ◽  
Aynaa Alsharidi ◽  
...  

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with a significant burden of disease, including medical and non-medical costs. Therefore, it is considered to be a priority for all health authorities. The aim of this study is to determine healthcare and treatment costs of caring for PLHIV at one of the tertiary care university hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This was a micro-costing, retrospective, observational study from a tertiary care university hospital and included all confirmed HIV-infected patients who visited infectious disease clinics in the period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2018. A total of 42 PLHIV were included in this study. The mean age of the study participants was 38.76 ± 11.47 years with a mean disease duration of 5.27 ± 4.81 years. The majority of patients were male (85.7%) and Saudi (88.1%). More than half of included patients (59.5%) had a CD4 count of more than 500. During the study period, 26 patients (61.9%) were initiated on a single-tablet regimen. Overall, the main cost-driver was antiretroviral medications, which cumulatively represented more than 64% of the total cost. Patients who developed opportunistic infections had a statistically significant (p = 0.033) higher financial impact, both as a total and on a patient level, than those presented without opportunistic infections. On a patient level, the mean and median costs were higher and statistically significant for those with co-morbidities than those without co-morbidities (p = 0.002). The majority of the economic burden of PLHIV is attributable to antiretroviral therapy use. The healthcare costs of PLHIV can vary greatly, depending on the presenting illness, clinical stage, developed opportunistic infection, co-morbidity, and pharmacological therapy.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 378-384
Author(s):  
F. Ihbibane ◽  
◽  
Z. Talibi Alaoui ◽  
A. Hassouni ◽  
M.El Mezouari ◽  
...  

Introduction: Opportunistic intestinal parasites (OIP) are a major cause of diarrhea in patients with HIV infection. We carried out this study to assess the prevalence and characteristics of OIP in Marrakech. Method: A retrospective cross-sectional study in a hospital environment was carried out in the infectious diseases department of Mohammed VI University Hospital, from January 2007 to October 2019. The diagnosis of OIP was made by parasitological examination of the stool, gastro panel intestinal FilmArray® multiplex PCR and / or histology. Result: Forty-eight patients with IOP were included. The prevalence of IOP was 5.17%, 40 patients had cryptosporidiosis, 6 patients had microsporidiosis and 2 patients had isosporosis. Thirty patients had co-infection with other opportunistic infections. Thirty-five patients were on ARVs. Eleven patients (22.9%) died during the study and 77.1% did well. Conclusion: The results of our study should prompt physicians treating HIV-infected patients in Morocco to request a stool exam and specific tests for Cryptosporidium, microsporidia and Isospora, especially in patients with low CD4 count.


Author(s):  
Abhijeet Ramesh Dhawale

Background and Aim: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has become a global pandemic. Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) is very common manifestation of HIV infection. Moreover, different opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis (TB) and malignancies may present with lymphadenopathy. This study was performed to evaluate the role of FNAC as a cytological investigative tool in the diagnosis of various lesions in HIV lymphadenopathy. Material and Methods: This study was carried out in Tertiary care Institute of India, over a period of one year. Total 50 cases of HIV lymphadenopathy patients were participated in the study after having signed the Informed Consent Form. Diagnosis of HIV was done by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) test, followed by the CD4 counts by BD FACS Count system in HIV positive patients. FNAC procedure was performed as an OPD procedure in cytology OPD of pathology department. Results: Most common site of HIV lymphadenopathy is cervical lymph node 40 (80%), followed by supraclavicular 6(12%) followed by axillary lymph node 4(8%). The most common lesion found was mycobacterial infection 22(44%), followed by reactive lymphadenitis 15(30%). Non-specific chronic granulomatous lymphadenitis in 10(22%) and 3(6%) cases of acute suppurative lymphadenitis. CD4 count more than 500 cells/ µL was seen in 9 (18%) cases of reactive lymphadenitis and 4 (8%) cases of chronic granulomatous lymphadenitis. Patients with tubercular infection had CD4 count between 200- 499 cells/ µL in 12 (24%) cases and less than 200 in 10 (20%) cases. Conclusion: FNAC is relatively inexpensive and valuable tool for identification of opportunistic infections, neoplastic lesions and non-neoplastic lesions. It may spare patients lymph node excision and enable immediate treatment of specific infection. This procedure is readily repeatable and can be used for follow up during and after treatment. Keywords: Human immunodeficiency virus, lymphadenopathy, Non-specific chronic granulomatous lymphadenitis, tuberculosis


2021 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. 298-302
Author(s):  
Ritika Singla ◽  
Neetu Sharma

Objectives: Until 2012, zidovudine+lamivudine+nevirapine (ZLN) was the first line treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, whereas in 2013, tenofovir+lamivudine+efavirenz (TLE) was recommended as a preferred regimen due to less adverse drug reactions and better virological response. The present study was done to compare the change in CD4 count and emergence of opportunistic infections (OIs) in HIV-positive patients on ZLN and TLE regimens. Materials and Methods: This retrospective record-based study was conducted at anti-retroviral therapy (ART) center of a tertiary care hospital on 150 charts of patients on ZLN (Group A) and TLE (Group B) regimens each for 1 year. Data were analyzed using GraphPad Prism version 6. Results: The mean age of patients in Group A was 38.72 (±10.5) years and Group B 37.75 (±11.57) years (P = 0.4460). After 1 year of ART, the mean CD4 count (cells/mm3) increased in both groups (Group A: 223.51 [±111.21] to 415.37 [±218.16] [P = 0.0001] vs. Group B: 255.05 [±164.50] to 433.12 [±247.66] [P = 0.0001]). With the baseline counts being comparable (P = 0.0527), the difference in mean CD4 counts between the groups post-ART was not statistically significant (P = 0.5105). The incidence of OI was 45% in Group A as compared to 25% in Group B. Overall, the most prevalent OI was tuberculosis (TB) (13.33%). Conclusion: Both ZLN and TLE regimens are equally effective in improving the immunological status of HIV-positive patients. Patients on ZLN have higher incidence of OI than those on TLE. However, therapy should be individualized as per patient’s suitability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 389-395
Author(s):  
Mohammed Nabil AlAli ◽  
Fahad Bamehriz ◽  
Hassan Arishi ◽  
Mohammed K. Aldeghaither ◽  
Fahad Alabdullatif ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Data are lacking on trends in bariatric surgery and the frequency of incidental findings in Saudi Arabia. OBJECTIVE: Report on trends in bariatric surgery as well as our experience in incidental findings along with a literature review (mainly on gastrointestinal stromal tumor). DESIGN: Retrospective chart and literature review. SETTINGS: Academic tertiary care center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study at King Khalid University Hospital and analyzed the data collected from 2009 to 2019. We collected data on age, body mass index (BMI), H pylori infection, type of bariatric surgery performed, and type and location of incidental findings. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidental findings during or after bariatric surgery (in pathology specimen). SAMPLE SIZE: 3052 bariatric surgeries, 46 patients with incidentalomas. RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation for the age of the 46 patients with incidentalomas was 42.1 (13.9) years and the mean (SD) preoperative BMI was 43.4 (6.4) kg/m 2 . Of 3052 bariatric surgeries performed, the most common type was sleeve gastrectomy (93.9%), followed by gastric bypass surgery (4.58%) and gastric banding (1.47%). The total frequency of incidentalomas was 1.5%; 10.8% of patients had gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), with the stomach being the commonest site for incidental findings. Eighty percent of the patients with GIST were positive for H pylori ( P =.01 vs negative patients). CONCLUSION: The number of incidentalomas and other findings were consistent with other reports. All these findings suggest that bariatric surgeons should take special care before, during, and after a laparoscopic operation in obese patients. LIMITATIONS: Since this is a single-center, retrospective study, we did not collect data on important variables such as gender, socioeconomic status of the patient, and family history of obesity, and we did not perform a preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.


1993 ◽  
Vol 70 (05) ◽  
pp. 730-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Toulon ◽  
M Lamine ◽  
I Ledjev ◽  
T Guez ◽  
M E Holleman ◽  
...  

SummaryIn human plasma, heparin cofactor II (HCII) is a thrombin inhibitor, whose deficiency has been reported to be associated with recurrent thrombosis. The finding of two cases of low plasma HCII activity in two patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) led us to investigate this coagulation inhibitor in the plasma of a larger population of HIV-infected patients. The mean plasma HCII activity was significantly lower in 96 HIV-infected patients than in 96 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals (0.75 ± 0.24 vs 0.99 ± 0.17 U/ml, p <0.0001). HCII antigen concentration was decreased to the same extent as the activity. The proportion of subjects with HCII deficiency was significantly higher in the HIV-infected group than in healthy individuals (38.5% vs 2.1%). In addition, HCII was significantly lower in AIDS patients than in other HIV-infected patients, classified according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on the basis of an absolute number of circulating CD4+ lymphocytes below 200 x 106/1. The link between HCII and immunodeficiency is further suggested by significant correlations between HCII activity and both the absolute number of CD4+ lymphocytes and the CD4+ to CD8+ lymphocyte ratio. Nevertheless, the mean HCII level was not different in the various groups of patients classified according to clinical criteria, except in CDC IVD patients in whom HCII levels were significantly lower. In addition, no correlation could be demonstrated between HCII and protein S activities, another coagulation inhibitor whose plasma level was also found to be decreased in HIV-infected patients. A similar prevalence of HCII deficiency was also found in a small series of 7 HIV-infected patients who developed thrombotic episodes, an unusual complication of the infection. This suggests that, in HIV-infected patients, HCII deficiency is not in itself the causative factor for the development of thrombosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 381-386
Author(s):  
Yusuke Yoshino ◽  
Ichiro Koga ◽  
Yoshitaka Wakabayashi ◽  
Takatoshi Kitazawa ◽  
Yasuo Ota

Background: The change in the prevalence of hypogonadism with age in men with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is subject to debate. Objective: To address this issue, we diagnosed hypogonadism based on serum levels of free testosterone (fTST) rather than total testosterone which is thought to be an inaccurate indicator. We also determined the relationship between age and fTST levels and identified risk factors for hypogonadism in men with HIV infection. Method: We retrospectively reviewed fTST levels and associated clinical factors in 71 wellcontrolled HIV-infected men who were treated at Teikyo University Hospital between April 2015 and March 2016 and who had data available on serum fTST levels, measured >6 months after starting antiretroviral therapy. fTST was measured using radioimmunoassay on blood samples collected in the morning. Risk factors for hypogonadism were identified using Welch’s t-test and multiple regression analysis. Results: The men had a mean (± standard deviation) age of 47.4 ± 13.6 years, and mean (± standard deviation) serum fTST level of 13.0 ± 6.1 pg/mL. Fifteen (21.1%) men had hypogonadism based on a fTST <8.5 pg/mL. Serum fTST levels significantly decreased with age (−0.216 pg/mL/year). Older age and low hemoglobin levels were identified as risk factors for hypogonadism. Conclusion: The men in the study experienced a more rapid decline in fTST levels with age than men in the general population (−0.161 pg/mL/year). Serum fTST levels in men with HIV infection should be monitored, especially in older men and those with low hemoglobin levels.


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