de la Paz BT, Verdasquera CD, Millán MJC, Portela RD, Jiménez PNA

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 310-320
PDF size: 117.63 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is considered the most common coinfection in HIV-positive people.
Objective: To describe the main characteristics according to the sociodemographic and clinical variables chosen from HIV/AIDS patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and to identify the most frequent radiological findings, in order to contribute to an earlier diagnosis and to reduce the mortality due to this coinfection.
Methods: A clinical case study was carried out. A total of 120 patients with HIV/AIDS and sputum culture positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, treated at the Hospital of Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK), and who were admitted between January 2004 and December 2010.
Results: Out of the cases studied, 92.5 % were male, 48.3 % had white skin, and their mean age was 35.6 years. Tuberculosis was a defining condition for AIDS in 25.8 % of the cases. The mean CD4+ T-lymphocyte count was 193.91 cells/?L. The most frequent clinical manifestations were fever, cough and weight loss. There was a predominance of the primary radiological pattern, with infiltrates in the lower lobes, infiltrates with pleural effusion, and extensive infiltrates. 25 % percent had normal chest X-rays.
Conclusions: Coinfection occurred independently of CD4+ T-lymphocyte levels. Unchanged chest radiographs did not exclude the diagnosis of tuberculosis in HIV/AIDS patients.