Covid-19 infection outcomes and testing outreach efforts among people living with HIV in Milwaukee, WI

Abstract Background - Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the incidence and severity of Covid-19 co-infection in people living with HIV (PLWH) has been an area of investigative research. Clinic databases of PLWH provide opportunities to investigate outcomes of Covid-19 co-infection and efficacy of outreach efforts, which are integral to patient care during health crises. Methods - All PLWH over 18 years of age in the Froedtert and Medical College of Wisconsin (F&MCW) with a Covid-19 test performed between May 2020 and March 2021 were included for analysis. All patients received an individualized phone call with Covid-19 testing education and information. Automated data collection and manual chart review were used to acquire information on demographics, outreach efforts, Covid-19 testing results, and Covid-19 clinical course. Results − 462 Covid-19 tests completed on 793 PLWH at F&MCW were included, with 40 (8.7%) positive tests and 422 (91.3%) negative tests, on a predominantly male and virally suppressed cohort. Most patients had mild-moderate Covid-19 infection with one patient requiring hospitalization and zero deaths. Outreach efforts from the F&MCW infectious disease clinic were associated with a significant increase in Covid-19 testing, most of which occurred after one phone call. Conclusions - Outcomes of Covid-19 infection in this cohort support most existing data suggesting co-infection in PLWH is not associated with significantly worse outcomes than patients without HIV. An individualized approach to outreach efforts may have utility in other public health arenas, though could be limited by larger patient populations.