[The use of HIV-1 protease inhibitors. Their effects on AIDS-correlated outpatient and hospitalization activities. A catchment area study].

Objective: To evaluate the effects of the use of protease inhibitors (IP) on the out-patient department's activities and hospitalizations of HIV-1 infected subjects.
Methods: From the December 1996 IP was available in our hospital, so the years 1996 and 1997 were studied.
Results: In the year 1997, 336 patients were visited with an increase of the 41% compared with the year 1996. In the 1997 the 45.2% of hospitalizations were related to AIDS, while in the year 1996 the 65.4% of them were related to AIDS.
Conclusions: The use of IP had increased the activities of the out-patient department and certainly had a role in reducing the hospitalizations related to AIDS.