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participating institutions:
Johns Hopkins University AIDS Service, New York State DOH AIDS Institute, The CORE Center, Cook County Hospital



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Excess Mortality Due to Pneumonia or Influenza During Influenza A\Seasons Among Persons with Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome [Lin JC, et al. Arch Intern Med 2001;161:441]: The authors analyze the Multiple Cause-of-Death data files from the National Center for Health Statistics, which provides detailed information on approximately 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. each year. Deaths were attributed to pneumonia or influenza by ICD-9 code (codes 480 - 487), and patients were classified as having AIDS by the ICD-9 code as well. Analysis was done for influenza seasons for 1991-92, 1992-93, and 1993-94. The results are shown in the following table for persons with AIDS, the general population, and the general population restricted to persons >65 years.

Death Rates Attributed to Pneumonia or Influenza
(Rate/season/10,000 population - U.S.)
 
1991-92
1992-93
1993-94
AIDS
19.7
15.4
10.2
General population
1.4
1.6
1.5
General population >65 years
8.1
9.3
8.5


Comment: Pneumonia and influenza continue to be the major causes of death in persons with HIV infection. The great majority is enigmatic in terms of etiology. PCP remains the major identifiable cause of death in AIDS patients. The paper summarized above clearly shows that patients with HIV infection are highly vulnerable to pneumonia, presumably bacterial pneumonia, and influenza. In fact, the rates are about 10 times the rate for the general population and about two-times the rate for persons >65 years, who represent the highest priority for influenza vaccine. These data are restricted to the pre-PI era.
p
osted 2/22/2001





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