Racial Disparities in People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Nationwide Study (2016-2021)

Background: In the United States, approximately 1.2 million people were living with HIV (PLWH) by the end of 2021, with African Americans experiencing a higher mortality rate than American Whites (20.1 per 100,000 vs 3.1 per 100,000). Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), though uncommon (1-14%), is a serious concern. Data on UGIB among PLWH is limited. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the National Inpatient Sample database (2016-2021). PLWH with age ≥18 years with UGIB were identified using ICD-10 codes. Multivariate regression was used to determine mortality risk by adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities. Results: Among 6,923 PLWH with UGIB requiring ICU-level care, mortality was higher in AA than AW (37.1% vs 29.9%). AA had a higher mortality risk than AW (p