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Table 3 Quality indicators for the assessment of HIV/AIDS clinical care by name, type, indicators, and selection criteria

From: Definition of a core set of quality indicators for the assessment of HIV/AIDS clinical care: a systematic review

no.

Name

Type

Quality

American HIV treatment guidelines

European AIDS guidelines

Reference

 

A. Baseline evaluation

     

1

CD4 cell count measurement

P

S

+

+

[23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31]*

2

Appropriate viral load test timing

P

S

+

+

[25, 29, 31]*

3

Renal basic assessment (Creatinine, Blood urea nitrogen, )

P

G

+

+

[20, 31]

4

Complete blood count

P

G

+

+

[20, 23, 31]*

5

Chemistry analysis (Serum LDH , Sodium, Venous bicarbonate, Hypoxemia ratio, Serum albumin)

P

G

+

-

[24]

6

Proportion of patients with CD4 count greater than 200 cells/ul

O

S

+

+

[29, 30]*

7

Bilirubin

O

G

+

+

[24]

8

Admission body mass index

O

G

-

+

[24]

9

Ask about loss of appetite

P

G

-

+

[24]

10

Monitor patient’s weight

P

G

-

+

[22, 24]

11

CNS change

O

G

-

+

[21]

12

Complicated cough

O

G

-

-

[24]

13

Diarrhea

O

G

-

-

[24]

14

Heart rate

O

G

-

+

[24]

15

Rales

O

G

-

-

[20]

16

Respiratory rate

O

G

-

-

[21]

17

Lung examination

P

G

+

+

[24]

18

ECG performed in patients on methadone

P

S

-

+

[31]

19

Cardiovascular risk assessment

P

G

-

+

[31]

 

B. Screening

     

20

Cervical cancer screening (basis and follow up)

P

G

+

+

[26, 28, 30]*

21

Hepatitis C screening (basis and follow up)

P

G

+

+

[25–27, 31]*

22

Hepatitis B testing ever (basis and follow up)

P

G

+

+

[25, 27]*

23

Tuberculosis screening

P

G

+

+

[22, 23, 25–28, 30, 31]*

24

Gonorrhea/chlamydia screening (at least once)

P

S

-

+

[23, 25, 27]**

25

Syphilis screening (annually)

P

S

-

+

[25, 27, 28, 30, 31]**

26

Injection drug use screening (annually)

P

G

-

+

[23, 27, 28]**

27

High-risk sexual behavior screening (annually)

P

G

-

+

[23, 27, 28]**

28

Papanicolau test in last year (for women only)

P

G

-

+

[23, 25]

 

C. Immunization

     

29

Pneumococcal vaccine in previous 6 months if CD4 >200

P

G

-

+

[25, 27, 28, 31]**

30

Influenza vaccination (annually)

P

G

-

+

[26–28]**

31

Hepatitis B vaccination first dose received (if appropriate)

P

G

+

+

[25, 27, 28, 31]*

32

Hepatitis A vaccination

P

G

+

+

[28, 31]*

 

D. Prophylaxis (patients with <200 lymphocyte CD4)

     

33

MAC prophylaxis

P

G

-

-

[23, 28]

34

PCP (pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia) prophylaxis

P

G

-

-

[23, 25–28, 30, 31]

35

Toxoplasmosis prophylaxis

P

G

-

-

[23, 31]

36

TB prophylaxis if reactive PPD

P

G

+

-

[25]

37

Cryptococcosis prophylaxis for patients with CD4 <100 cells/ul

P

G

-

-

[30]

 

E. HIV Monitoring

     

38

Non-detectable HIV viral load at 48 treatment weeks

O

S

+

+

[26, 31] *

39

Proportion of patients who received their fist-time CD4 count within 2 weeks after first HIV clinic visit

P

S

-

-

[28, 29]

40

Proportion of patients eligible for ART who are currently on ART

P

S

+

+

[29]

41

Proportion of patients on ART for whom adherence is measured on last three visits

P

S

-

-

[29, 31]

42

Proportion of patients on NVP who had LFT at least once within 1 month after initiation of NVP-based ART

P

S

-

-

[29]

43

Proportion of patients with previous ARV regimen change for whom reason for change in regime is documented

P

S

+

+

[29, 31] *

44

Proportion of patients on ARV with at least 95% (good) reported adherence on last visit

O

S

+

+

[29, 32] *

45

Achieving maximal viral control if prescribed ART

O

S

+

+

[27]

46

Achieving maximal viral control if prescribed ART or treatment plan documentation if maximal viral control not achieved.

O

S

+

+

[27]

47

proportion of patients with continued care

P

G

+

+

[29, 32] *

48

Visits in three quarters

P

G

+

-

[26, 28]

49

HIV counseling and test offered

P

S

+

+

[23, 31]*

50

Length of stay in hospital

P

G

-

-

[20]

51

Loss of follow up

P

G

+

-

[31, 32]**

52

Percent HIV/AIDS hospital mortality

O

S

-

-

[20]

53

HIV prevalence among pregnant women

P

S

+

+

[22]

 

F. Therapy

     

54

Appropriately prescribed ART

P

S

+

+

[22, 23, 25–28, 30, 31]*

55

Proportion of patients on cotrimoxazole prophylaxis with at least 95% reported adherence on last visit

P

S

-

-

[24, 29]

56

Proportion of patients whose CD4 count is <350 cell/ul who are currently on cotrimoxazole prophylactic therapy

P

S

-

-

[29]

57

In patients with at most CD4 count <200 cells/microliter Prescribe an antibiotic or admit the patient to the hospital

P

S

-

-

[24]

58

Proportions of patients on ART who are started on ART within 2 weeks after clinical eligibility is confirmed

P

S

+

+

[29]

59

Proportion of either bedridden or ambulatory patients who have improvement in functional status

O

S

-

+

[29]

60

Proportion of HIV-positive clients given treatment for latent TB infection

P

S

+

+

[22, 30, 31]*

61

Proportion of HIV-positive registered TB patients given ART during TB treatment

P

S

+

+

[22]

62

Percent of HIV-positive patients in HIV care or treatment (pre-ART or ART) who started TB treatment

P

S

+

+

[22, 30]

63

Patient with HIV receiving Hepatitis C treatment

P

G

+

+

[31]

64

Co-management of Tuberculosis and HIV Treatment

P

S

+

+

[22]

65

Number of HIV-positive pregnant women who received antiretroviral to reduce risk of mother-to-child-transmission

P

S

+

+

[22]

  1. Type of indicator: P – Process (50) and O – Outcome (15); Quality indicator: S – specific (29) and G – generic (36). American and European HIV treatment guidelines: (+) present; (−) absent.
  2. Number of indicators by clinical area: A (19); B (9); C (4); D (5); E (16); F (12).
  3. * Indicators that are in both guidelines and are used in more than one study.
  4. ** Indicators that are only in one guideline and are used in more than one study.