Chronic kidney disease at presentation is not an independent risk factor for AIDS-defining events or death in HIV-infected persons.

Studies have documented an association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and increased risk of end stage renal disease, death and comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, in the general population. However, there is little data on the relationship between CKD and ADE (AIDS defining event), and to our knowledge, no studies have analyzed death as a competing risk for ADE among HIV-infected persons. An observational cohort study was performed to determine the incidence and risks for developing an ADE or death among HIV-infected persons with and without CKD from 1998 - 2005.

Task overlap among primary care team members: an opportunity for system redesign?

This article presents the results of research on a systematic approach to the assignment of primary care work in the Veterans Health Administration. Based on a functional job analysis protocol, the study identified overlap in the performance of primary care tasks among multiple occupational groups as prima facie evidence of opportunities to reallocate work responsibilities. Results show that registered nurses, physicians, advanced practitioners, and licensed vocational nurses reported performing 60 percent to 97 percent of the same tasks, while clerks and health technicians appeared to be underutilized.