Mortality trends and causes of death among HIV positive patients at Newlands Clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe

Background We report trends in mortality patterns and causes among HIV positive patients, who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART), at an urban clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in which routinely collected data for patients enrolled and followed up between February 2004 and December 2017 were assessed. Patients follow up was from the day of the treatment initiation until exit by death, transfer out or loss to follow up. Two doctors categorized causes of death (COD) as tuberculosis (TB), communicable AIDS, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), malignancies, others and unknown. We used competing risk survival analysis, first to estimate all-causes and cause-specific mortality rates over time, and then to assess risk factors of different causes of death. Results A total of 4 868 patients were followed up for 27 527 person years (PY). Among the 506 patients who died, COD was unknown for 76 patients (15%) and common COD were TB (n = 71, 14%), Malignancies (n = 54, 10.7%) Meningitis (n = 39, 7.7%) and NCDs (n = 60, 11.9%). 49.4% of the deaths were within the first year of starting ART. Median age at death was 36 years (IQR:19-46). There was a near threefold increase in proportion of deaths due to NCDs and malignancies over the period of follow up. Low baseline CD4 cell count and WHO stages 3 & 4 were significant risk factors for all-cause mortality. Conclusions TB remains the leading cause of death among HIV infected people. Deaths due to NCDs and malignancies increased over time. ART facilities need to incorporate management of NCDs including cancer as part of comprehensive care of PLHIV to reduce mortality.