Reasons for hospitalisation of HIV-infected patients in ICUs - a single-centre observational study

There are no Polish data regarding the reasons for and incidence of ICU hospitalisations of HIV-infected patients. The aim of the study was to determine the reasons for and incidence of hospitalisations of HIV-infected patients in the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy of the Dr W. Biegański Regional Specialist Hospital in Łódź in the years 2010-2014.

Preliminary research enabled to identify all the patients with laboratory-confirmed HIV, including those hospitalised in the ICU. Patients` medical records were analysed. Analysis involved epidemiological data, underlying diagnosis, coexisting diseases and conditions, as well as biochemical, hematologic, virusologic, bacteriologic, mycologic and immunologic tests.

In the years 2010-2014, new HIV infections were diagnosed in 224 individuals; 8 of them required ICU hospitalization (10 hospitalisations) - 5 men (62.5%) and 3 women (37.5%). The age of patients ranged from 24 to 46 years. All the patients were diagnosed with AIDS. Three of them died. The patients with HIV constituted 1.30% of all patients hospitalised in the ICU over the period of 5 years.

Low number of HIV-infected patients hospitalised in the ICU in the years 2010-2014 was associated with low HIV incidence rates in the Łódź province and generally available modern antiretroviral therapy rather than restrictive admission policy. Reasons for admission as well as coexisting diseases and conditions, including opportunistic infections, of patients hospitalised in the ICU in 2010-2014 are similar to those in West European countries and the United Stated.