Effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy on the incidence of bacterial pneumonia in HIV-infected subjects

The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of hospital and community acquired bacterial pneumonia in HIV-infected subjects prior to and after th e introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We studied 266 patients with bacterial pneumonia over two separate periods, 154 in the first period and 112 in the second period. A statistically significant dif ference in the incidence of bacterial pneumonia in the two study periods wa s observed ranging from 13.1 to 8.5 episodes per 100 persons. The incidence of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia decreased from 10.7 to 7.7 (P = 0.01), while that of nosocomial episodes decreased from 2.4 to 0.8 episodes (P = 0.003). Low levels of peripheral CD4+ cells ( < 100/mm(3)) and intrav enous drug abuse (IVDA) were significantly associated with the development of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, while an increasing value of APA CHE III score and prolonged hospitalisation increased the risk of nosocomia l bacterial pneumonia in both study periods. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.