Background:
Patients with lymphoma may require intensive care (ICU) because of disease- or treatment-related complications. The lymphoma–HIV interaction complicates management, but whether outcomes are worse in these patients, when critically ill, is unclear. A retrospective observational cohort study reviewed outcomes of patients admitted to ICU, subsequent 5-year survival, and prognostic factors.

Setting:
Academic ICU at the UK National Centre for HIV Malignancy.

Methods:
Records between 2007 and 2020 identified the following cohorts: HIV lymphoma, lymphoma alone, HIV alone, and patients without HIV/lymphoma. Patient demographics, lymphoma characteristics, ICU admission data, and survival outcomes were collected. Five-year survival outcomes were analyzed for the lymphoma cohorts. ICU outcomes were analyzed for all cohorts. Descriptive statistics summarized baseline characteristics and outcomes. Multivariate regression identified factors associated with ICU mortality.

Results:
Of 5929 patients admitted to the ICU, 63 had HIV lymphoma and 43 had lymphoma alone. Survival to ICU discharge was 71% and 72%, respectively. Adjusted log-odds ratio for ICU survival was significantly better in the comparator cohort. ICU survival between the HIV lymphoma and lymphoma-alone cohorts was not significantly different. Adjusted 5-year survival was not significantly different between lymphoma cohorts. Factors independently associated with a worse ICU survival prognosis were emergency admissions, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, initial lactate, and day requiring level 3 support. Mechanical ventilation and higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were independent risk factors for worse 5-year survival in the lymphoma cohorts.

Conclusions:
ICU outcomes and 5-year survival rates of patients with lymphoma were unaffected by HIV status, revealing favorable outcomes in patients with HIV-related lymphoma admitted to the ICU.