Inpatient morbidity among HIV-infected male soldiers prior to their diagnosis of HIV infection

Background. A natural history study of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease was carried out among 1575 HIV-infected US Army men and 6220 demographically similar uninfected soldiers. Inpatient morbidity occurring up to 8 years prior to the date of HIV infection diagnosis among those men who became HIV infected was evaluated for both groups. Methods. Incidence density rates were calculated for hospital admissions. Poisson regression was used to assess the trend in hospital admissions among those subsequently diagnosed with HIV infection. Prevalence ratios for discharge diagnoses were also calculated. Results. Sixteen diagnoses/diagnosis categories occurred statistically more frequently among subsequently HIV diagnosed individuals than among those who remained uninfected. Among these were hepatitis B and abscess of anal/rectal region (6 to 8 years prior to HIV infection diagnosis); unspecified viral infection, enlarged lymph nodes, syphilis (3 to 5 years prior to HIV infection diagnosis); and diagnoses suggestive of acute retroviral syndrome (1 to 2 years prior to HIV infection diagnosis). Conclusions. Data such as these may provide useful information to HIV surveillance efforts regarding patterns of morbidity experienced prior to HIV infection as well as to health care providers regarding patients at high risk for becoming infected with HIV.