Polypharmacy and medical intensive care unit (MICU) admission and 10-year all-cause mortality risk among hospitalized patients with and without HIV

Objective Medical intensive care unit (MICU) admissions have been declining in people with HIV infection (PWH), but frequency of outpatient polypharmacy (prescription of [greater than or equal to]5 chronic medications) has increased. Among those hospitalized, we examined whether outpatient polypharmacy is associated with subsequent 1-year MICU admission or 10-year all-cause mortality, and if the association varies by HIV status. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods Using a national electronic health record cohort of Veterans in care, we ascertained outpatient polypharmacy during fiscal year (FY) 2009 and followed patients for 1-year MICU admission and 10-year mortality. We assessed associations of any polypharmacy (yes/no and categorized [less than or equal to]4, 5-7, 8-9, and [greater than or equal to]10 medications) with 1-year MICU admission and 10-year mortality using logistic and Cox regressions, respectively, adjusted for demographics, HIV status, substance use, and severity of illness. Results Among 9898 patients (1811 PWH) hospitalized in FY2010, prior outpatient polypharmacy was common (51%). Within 1 year, 1532 (15%) had a MICU admission and within 10 years, 4585 (46%) died. Polypharmacy was associated with increased odds of 1-year MICU admission, in both unadjusted (odds ratio (OR) 1.36 95% CI: (1.22, 1.52)) and adjusted models, aOR (95% CI) = 1.28 (1.14, 1.43) and with 10-year mortality in unadjusted, hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) = 1.40 (1.32, 1.48), and adjusted models, HR (95% CI) = 1.26 (1.19, 1.34). Increasing levels of polypharmacy demonstrated a dose-response with both outcomes and by HIV status, with a stronger association among PWH. Conclusions Among hospitalized patients, prior outpatient polypharmacy was associated with 1-year MICU admission and 10-year all-cause mortality after adjusting for severity of illness in PWH and PWoH.