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INFECTIOUS DISEASES / RESEARCH PAPER
The Outcome of Coronavirus Disease 2019 among People Living with HIV in European Union versus Non-European Union Countries
1
Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Department for Adult's Infectious Diseases, Warsaw, Poland, Poland
2
National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary, Budapest, Hungary,, Hungary
3
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Belgrade, Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia,, Serbia
4
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center University od Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina,, Bosnia and Herzegovina
5
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Victor Babes hospital for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Bucharest, Romania,, Romania
6
Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Izmir, Turkey,, Turkey
7
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Department for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina,, Bosnia and Herzegovina
8
National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria, Bulgaria
9
USMF Testemitanu, Chisinau, Moldova, Republic of,, Moldova
10
Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia,, Serbia
11
Infectious diseases, AIDS and clinical immunology center, Tbilisi, Georgia,, Georgia
12
University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljevic", Zagreb, Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia,, Croatia
13
Medical and Pharmaceutical State University Nicolae Testemitanu, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, Chisinau, Moldova, Republic of, Moldova
14
Department of Adults’ Infectious Diseases, Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland, Warsaw, Poland,, Poland
Submission date: 2024-12-04
Final revision date: 2025-07-12
Acceptance date: 2025-07-31
Online publication date: 2025-10-05
Corresponding author
Agata Skrzat-Klapaczyńska
Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Department for Adult's Infectious Diseases, Warsaw, Poland, Poland
Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Department for Adult's Infectious Diseases, Warsaw, Poland, Poland
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
The Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region differs in access to HIV and co-infections care and treatment. The aim of the study was to analyze the relation between the severity of the COVID-19 disease and HIV specific factors in the European Union (EU) Countries and in non-European Union (non-EU) Countries.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted between November 2020 and May 2021. Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) Network Group was collecting observational data on HIV-positive patients diagnosed with COVID-19. In total, 16 countries from CEE (Poland, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Croatia, Turkey, Romania, Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Greece, Georgia, Albania, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Bulgaria) submitted data on HIV-positive patients using an electronic case report form (eCRF). Chi-Square test was used for group comparisons.
Results:
In total 557 patients were included into the analyses: 361 from EU and 196 from non-EU countries. Access to remdesivir was 1.5% in non-EU countries vs 3.9% in EU-countries (p= 0.1952) . Symptoms of COVID-19 occurred more often in non-EU countries (93.3%) vs non-EU countries (83.6%) [p=0.0009], as well as hospitalization 32.8% vs. 20.8% respectively [0.0027]. Death/ICU was 4.8% in non-EU countries vs 3.4% in EU-countries (p=0.4877). In total 18 (3.23%) patients found out about HIV diagnosis during COVID-19, which was comparable in two groups (11 [3.0%] in UE countries vs. 7 [3.6%] in non-UE countries; p=0.8029).
Conclusions:
Patients from non- EU countries were more likely to be COVID-19 symptomatic and hospitalized. Access to antiviral therapy for SARS-CoV-2 was very low for all CEE countries.
The Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region differs in access to HIV and co-infections care and treatment. The aim of the study was to analyze the relation between the severity of the COVID-19 disease and HIV specific factors in the European Union (EU) Countries and in non-European Union (non-EU) Countries.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted between November 2020 and May 2021. Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) Network Group was collecting observational data on HIV-positive patients diagnosed with COVID-19. In total, 16 countries from CEE (Poland, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Croatia, Turkey, Romania, Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Greece, Georgia, Albania, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Bulgaria) submitted data on HIV-positive patients using an electronic case report form (eCRF). Chi-Square test was used for group comparisons.
Results:
In total 557 patients were included into the analyses: 361 from EU and 196 from non-EU countries. Access to remdesivir was 1.5% in non-EU countries vs 3.9% in EU-countries (p= 0.1952) . Symptoms of COVID-19 occurred more often in non-EU countries (93.3%) vs non-EU countries (83.6%) [p=0.0009], as well as hospitalization 32.8% vs. 20.8% respectively [0.0027]. Death/ICU was 4.8% in non-EU countries vs 3.4% in EU-countries (p=0.4877). In total 18 (3.23%) patients found out about HIV diagnosis during COVID-19, which was comparable in two groups (11 [3.0%] in UE countries vs. 7 [3.6%] in non-UE countries; p=0.8029).
Conclusions:
Patients from non- EU countries were more likely to be COVID-19 symptomatic and hospitalized. Access to antiviral therapy for SARS-CoV-2 was very low for all CEE countries.
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