We sought to describe virologic and clinical retention outcomes among a group of HIV-infected adolescents and young adults (AYA) newly established in an adult HIV clinic compared with matched HIV-infected adults. AYA demonstrated lower rates of HIV-1 virologic suppression and higher rates of HIV-1 viral rebound and loss to follow-up compared with adults. African American AYA had the lowest rates of virologic suppression and the highest rates of viral rebound. Adult providers should consider HIV-infected AYA, particularly African American HIV-infected AYA, to potentially be at high risk for poor clinical outcomes in adult care.

Neutrophil (PMNL) function defects occur as a consequence of HIV infection. This study examined PMNL apoptosis in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) to determine if accelerated apoptosis contributes to impaired function. PMNL were isolated from 10 HIV-infected patients with CD4 ϩ lymphocyte counts Ͻ 200/mm 3 without signs of active infection and 7 healthy volunteers. PMNL were stained with acridine orange and ethidium bromide after 0, 3, 6, and 18 h in culture, and examined for the morphologic changes of apoptosis and viability by fluorescent microscopy. Apoptosis was also demonstrated by electron microscopy, flow cytometry, and DNA gel electrophoresis.Apoptosis was minimal at 0 h, but PMNL from AIDS patients exhibited significantly greater apoptosis than controls at 3 h (22.5 Ϯ 11.5 vs. 8.9 Ϯ 6.9%, P ϭ 0.015), 6 h (38.1 Ϯ 14.2 vs. 18.1 Ϯ 4.5%, P ϭ 0.003), and 18 h (71.3 Ϯ 19.0 vs. 38.8 Ϯ 16.7%, P ϭ 0.002). Viabilities were Ն 88.0% for both groups from 0-6 h, but by 18 h viability was significantly decreased for the HIV group (58.8 Ϯ 12.4 vs. 83.5 Ϯ 10.4%, P ϭ 0.001) due to an increase in non-viable apoptotic cells. Incubation with serum from AIDS patients had no effect on control PMNL, and incubation with control serum did not reduce the rate of apoptosis of PMNL from AIDS patients. Incubation with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in vitro significantly decreased apoptosis for PMNL from AIDS patients.PMNL from patients with AIDS exhibit markedly accelerated apoptosis ex vivo. In vivo, apoptosis and functional impairment of PMNL may contribute to the risk of secondary infections, and cytokine therapy may be of potential clinical benefit in this circumstance. ( J. Clin. Invest. 1996. 98:2714-2719.)

ObjectiveTo review the incidence of respiratory conditions and their effect on mortality in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals prior to and during the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).DesignTwo large observational cohorts of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men (Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study [MACS]) and women (Women’s Interagency HIV Study [WIHS]), followed since 1984 and 1994, respectively.MethodsAdjusted odds or hazards ratios for incident respiratory infections or non-infectious respiratory diagnoses, respectively, in HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected individuals in both the pre-HAART (MACS only) and HAART eras; and adjusted Cox proportional hazard ratios for mortality in HIV-infected persons with lung disease during the HAART era.ResultsCompared to HIV-uninfected participants, HIV-infected individuals had more incident respiratory infections both pre-HAART (MACS, odds ratio [adjusted-OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2–2.7; p<0.001) and after HAART availability (MACS, adjusted-OR, 1.5; 95%CI 1.3–1.7; p<0.001; WIHS adjusted-OR, 2.2; 95%CI 1.8–2.7; p<0.001). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was more common in MACS HIV-infected vs. HIV-uninfected participants pre-HAART (hazard ratio [adjusted-HR] 2.9; 95%CI, 1.02–8.4; p = 0.046). After HAART availability, non-infectious lung diseases were not significantly more common in HIV-infected participants in either MACS or WIHS participants. HIV-infected participants in the HAART era with respiratory infections had an increased risk of death compared to those without infections (MACS adjusted-HR, 1.5; 95%CI, 1.3–1.7; p<0.001; WIHS adjusted-HR, 1.9; 95%CI, 1.5–2.4; p<0.001).ConclusionHIV infection remained a significant risk for infectious respiratory diseases after the introduction of HAART, and infectious respiratory diseases were associated with an increased risk of mortality.

BackgroundSeveral lung diseases are increasingly recognized as comorbidities with HIV; however, few data exist related to the spectrum of respiratory symptoms, diagnostic testing, and diagnoses in the current HIV era. The objective of the study is to determine the impact of HIV on prevalence and incidence of respiratory disease in the current era of effective antiretroviral treatment.MethodsA pulmonary-specific questionnaire was administered yearly for three years to participants in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) and Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS). Adjusted prevalence ratios for respiratory symptoms, testing, or diagnoses and adjusted incidence rate ratios for diagnoses in HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected participants were determined. Risk factors for outcomes in HIV-infected individuals were modeled.ResultsBaseline pulmonary questionnaires were completed by 907 HIV-infected and 989 HIV-uninfected participants in the MACS cohort and by 1405 HIV-infected and 571 HIV-uninfected participants in the WIHS cohort. In MACS, dyspnea, cough, wheezing, sleep apnea, and incident chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were more common in HIV-infected participants. In WIHS, wheezing and sleep apnea were more common in HIV-infected participants. Smoking (MACS and WIHS) and greater body mass index (WIHS) were associated with more respiratory symptoms and diagnoses. While sputum studies, bronchoscopies, and chest computed tomography scans were more likely to be performed in HIV-infected participants, pulmonary function tests were no more common in HIV-infected individuals. Respiratory symptoms in HIV-infected individuals were associated with history of pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, or use of HAART. A diagnosis of asthma or COPD was associated with previous pneumonia.ConclusionsIn these two cohorts, HIV is an independent risk factor for several respiratory symptoms and pulmonary diseases including COPD and sleep apnea. Despite a higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms, testing for non-infectious respiratory diseases may be underutilized in the HIV-infected population.

Anti-infective shortages pose significant logistical and clinical challenges to hospitals and may be considered a public health emergency. Anti-infectives often represent irreplaceable life-saving treatments. Furthermore, few new agents are available to treat increasingly prevalent multidrug-resistant pathogens. Frequent anti-infective shortages have substantially altered patient care and may lead to inferior patient outcomes. Because many of the shortages stem from problems with manufacturing and distribution, federal legislation has been introduced but not yet enacted to provide oversight for the adequate supply of critical medications. At the local level, hospitals should develop strategies to anticipate the impact and extent of shortages, to identify therapeutic alternatives, and to mitigate potential adverse outcomes. Here we describe the scope of recent anti-infective shortages in the United States and explore the reasons for inadequate drug supply.

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BACKGROUND The nationally reported metric for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) relies solely on laboratory testing, which can result in overreporting due to asymptomatic C. difficile colonization. OBJECTIVE To review the clinical scenarios of cases of healthcare facility-onset CDI (HO-CDI) and to determine the appropriateness of C. difficile testing on the basis of presence of symptomatic diarrhea in order to identify areas for improvement. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Northwestern Memorial Hospital, a large, tertiary academic hospital in Chicago, Illinois. PATIENTS The cohort included all patients with a positive C. difficile test result who were reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network as HO-CDI during a 1-year study period. METHODS We reviewed the clinical scenario of each HO-CDI case. On the basis of documentation and predefined criteria, appropriateness of C. difficile testing was determined; cases were deemed appropriate, inappropriate, or indeterminate. Statistical analysis was performed to compare demographic and clinical parameters among the categories of testing appropriateness. RESULTS Our facility reported 168 HO-CDI cases to NHSN during the study period. Of 168 cases, 33 (19.6%) were judged to be appropriate tests, 25 (14.8%) were considered inappropriate, and 110 (65.5%) were indeterminate. Elimination of inappropriate testing would have improved our facility's standardized infection ratio from 0.962 to 0.819. CONCLUSION Approximately 15% of HO-CDI cases were judged to be tested inappropriately. Testing only patients with clinically significant diarrhea would more accurately estimate CDI incidence, reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, and improve facilities' performance of reportable CDI metrics. Improved documentation could facilitate targeted interventions. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1395-1400.