According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of hospitalizations for HIV-positive infants age 2 and under dropped by 64 percent between the years 1998 and 2005, reports Newswise (newswise.com, 12/17). During this same period, hospitalizations for children and teens (2-17) and adults (18-44) living with HIV were down 41 percent and 31 percent, respectively.
Newswise says that the invention of protease inhibitors in 1995 was cited as the main factor in the overall decrease of hospitalizations for complications from HIV, such as cytomegalovirus diseases, pulmonary tuberculosis, mycobacterial diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, Hansen’s disease) and toxoplasmosis.
However, researchers add that these medications may be playing a role in the increase in hospitalizations of older people with AIDS (44 and above) who develop other chronic illnesses. The data showed that hospitalizations were up 43 percent for patients ages 45-54, 61 percent for ages 55-64 and 56 percent for those 65 and older.
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