1. Effect of clinical pharmacists on utilization of and clinical response to antiretroviral therapy.
- Author
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Horberg MA, Hurley LB, Silverberg MJ, Kinsman CJ, and Quesenberry CP
- Subjects
- Adult, CD4 Lymphocyte Count, California, Cohort Studies, Female, HIV Infections immunology, HIV Infections virology, Health Maintenance Organizations, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, RNA, Viral blood, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome, Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active statistics & numerical data, HIV Infections drug therapy, Pharmacists
- Abstract
Objective: To determine the association of clinical pharmacists with health outcomes and utilization measures among HIV-infected patients., Methods: Observational study of 1571 HIV-infected patients prescribed their initial highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen in clinics with and without a clinical pharmacist. Outcomes analyzed were changes in plasma HIV RNA level, CD4 T-cell counts, and service utilization (hospital days, emergency department visits, and office visits) over 24 months based on exposure to a clinical pharmacist., Results: Patients exposed to a clinical pharmacist tended to be more likely to achieve an HIV RNA level <500 copies/mL at 12 months (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92 to 4.37). At 24 months, however, results depended on the provider panel size; the ORs for panel sizes < or =50 and >50 HIV-infected patients were 1.67 (95% CI: 0.60 to 4.62) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.39 to 2.41), respectively. CD4 T-cell counts were modestly but nonsignificantly higher for the patients exposed to a clinical pharmacist. Utilization also depended on the provider panel size; pharmacist exposure was associated with 64% (95% CI: 30% to 108%) and 9% (95% CI: -11% to 33%) increases in total hospital days for panel sizes < or =50 and >50 HIV-infected patients, respectively. Pharmacist exposure was also associated with a 19% (95% CI: -13% to -24%) decrease in office visits for panel sizes < or =50 HIV-infected patients, with minimal effect for larger panel sizes., Conclusion: Clinical pharmacists seem to contribute to lower office visit rates in antiretroviral-naive patients initiating HAART.
- Published
- 2007
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