Prolonged Hospitalization: the Crucial Impact on Hospitalization for HIV/AIDS. A Retrospective Cohort Analysis in Brazil between 2019 and 2022

Abstract

The present paper is a cohort study carried out in an infectious disease reference center in a tertiary hospital in the city of São Paulo, which investigated the relationship between some variables and the outcome of death in patients living with HIV/AIDS hospitalized in a given period. In addition to epidemiology, the work highlighted the importance of the topic for preventive medicine, including pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis. The results showed a heterogeneous population, predominantly young, with emphasis on the most frequent symptoms and diagnoses. The statistical analysis revealed that, in addition to the TCD4 lymphocyte count, prolonged hospitalization has a statistically significant association with the occurrence of death. The findings highlight the importance of implementing preventive measures to improve clinical outcomes and reduce morbidity and mortality associated with HIV/AIDS, especially in prolonged hospitalizations. This study emphasizes the need for a comprehensive and effective approach to managing these patients, aiming to improve institutional rates. Furthermore, the study promotes reflection on the need for quality control strategies and reducing patients’ length of stay, and extrapolates the reflection to hospitalizations for all causes, seeking alternatives for early dehospitalization, such as back-up or transition hospitals.