Abstract
BACKGROUND: HIV-infected patients may be at a greater risk of Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs) but risks factors for HAIs have not been well described in this population. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the incidence, temporal trends and risk factors of HAIs among adult HIV positive patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study carried out in an academic health system in New York City which included four hospitals over a 9-year period from 2006 to 2014. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were built to determine risk factors associated with site-specific HAIs such as Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), Pneumonia (PNUs) and Bloodstream Infections (BSIs). FINDINGS: There were 10,575 HIV positive discharges and 1,328 had HAIs: 697 UTIs, 555 BSIs and 192 PNUs. The incidence rate of HAIs decreased from 19.8 to 15.1 new infections per 1000 persondays between 2006 and 2014 (p value<0.001). In addition to the expected risk factors of urinary catheter use for UTI and central venous line use for BSI, symptomatic HIV and renal failure were significant risk factors for both UTIs (95% CI OR: (1.24, 2.27) and (1.46, 2.11) respectively) and BSIs (95% CIs OR: (2.28, 4.18) and (1.81, 2.71) respectively). CONCLUSION: HIV-infected patients had similar risk factors for HAIs as HIV-uninfected patients. Further research is required to address how patients' CD4 counts and viral loads affect their susceptibility to HAIs.