The Burden of HIV-Related Admissions and Mortality at Princess Marina Hospital, Botswana in 2000: A Pre-Combination Antiretroviral Therapy Era

Background: human immune virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) have been recognized in Botswana for the last three decades, however, combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) was only introduced after 2000. Facility-based historical data of the burden of HIV/AIDS- related conditions pre-cART have so far not been analyzed. Objective: To analyze the burden of HIV-related admissions and HIV-related deaths, and identify the socio-demographic factors associated with HIV/AIDS deaths at Princess Marina Hospital (PMH) in the year 2000. Methods: A retrospective review of medical files was carried out between May and June 2014. Nine thousand seven hundred and forty-six (9746) records were analyzed for the year for 2000. Cases were identified as documented HIV/AIDS as per medical notes and/or documentation of any of the conditions listed in sections B20-B24 of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD 10 B20-B24). Outcomes were the percentages of HIV-related admissions and HIV-related deaths out of all admissions and deaths. The in-hospital case fatality rate (CFR) was also calculated. Log-binomial regression models were used to determine the most significant factors associated with HIV-related admission and death. Results: The percentages of HIV-related admissions and HIV-related deaths were 4.1% (403/9746) and 11.3% (80/707), respectively. The in-hospital HIV-CFR was 19.9% (80/403). Adjusted log-binomial models identified the most significant protective factors for HIV-related admission were female sex and cART use while age >15 years old was the most significant risk factor. The se of cART was significant protective factor for HIV-associated death while age older than 15 years was the most significant risk factor. Conclusion: There was a significant burden of HIV-related admissions and deaths in PMH before wide-scale cART use in Botswana. This study highlights the increased risk of hospital admission for HIV-positive patients and underlines the need for cART to prevent deaths. Further studies evaluating the impact of wide-scale cART roll out are needed.