Analysis of the course and outcomes of COVID-19 in HIV infected patients according to the infectious diseases’ hospital of Moscow

Abstract

The course of two pandemics (syndemic) — HIV & COVID-19, demonstrated the synergistic eff ect of SARS-CoV-2 & HIV on the human body.The aim of the study was to identify the features of diagnosis, course, treatment and outcomes of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in HIV infected patients admitted to an infectious hospital.Materials and methods: the retrospective data of 1,250 patients with COVID-19/HIV coinfection admitted to ICH No. 2 in Moscow in 2021 have been analyzed. Laboratory and instrumental diagnostics were carried out to clarify the diagnosis and severity of the condition. Statistical processing was performed using Excel (Microsoft) and StatTech v. 1.2.0 software. The diff erences were considered statistically signifi cant at p <0.05.The results of the conducted studies of 1,250 patients with coinfection have shown that HIV infection does not aff ect the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2, and at the same time, the key predictors that cause high mortality in COVID-19 against the background of HIV infection are age over 55, avoidance of regular checkups and antiretroviral therapy (ART), severe immunodefi ciency (CD4+ < 200 μl–1), concomitant pathology (HCV, liver cirrhosis, damage to the cardiovascular system) and a combination of SARS-CoV-2 with various opportunistic pathogens. Late diagnosis of HIV infection contributes to a more severe course and unfavorable outcome of COVID-19 in HIV infected patients in the future. Counting the potential cost and benefi ts for each individual patient has proved that the use of biological therapy in patients with coinfection is recommended only after monitoring the immunological status indicators. Benefi cial eff ect factors in relation to HIV/SARS-CoV-2 coinfection include vaccination of HIV infected patients against COVID-19, which shows the greatest eff ectiveness in people receiving ART, with the amount of CD4+ ≥ 350 μl–1, thus preventing infection, reducing the risk of severe disease and the frequency of hospitalization and mortality rate.