[Necroscopic findings in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
The summaries of clinical data and the autopsy materials of 58 patients who died of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome were reviewed to study the spectrum of the pathologic features of this disease in a general hospital. Histologic sections of all organs were routinely obtained.


RESULTS
The most affected organs were the lungs and encephalo, those responsible for the immediate cause of death. There were 11 types of microorganisms and 3 types of tumors. Among the microorganisms, the most frequent was the cytomegalovirus and, among tumors, Kaposi's sarcoma. The microorganisms were frequently associated, mainly in the central nervous system. There was also an association of microorganisms with tumors. Many patients presented with suppurative inflammation. Besides these lesions, a lymphocytic depletion of lymphoid organs was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The spectrum of pathologic changes in AIDS is vast, and pathologists should be aware of this fact to accurately diagnose the lesions they find. The morphologic lesions are neither unique nor specific for this syndrome, but in this clinical and immunologic setting they are characteristic. It became clear that several microorganisms and tumors sometimes can only be discovered by autopsy, which is an irrefutable proof that despite the modern technology, autopsy is unavoidable for the knowledge of the pathogeny of a disease.
Netto
J G
JG
Serviços de Anatomia Patológica e Doenças Transmissíveis, Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual Francisco Morato de Oliveira.
Collarile
D C
DC
Borges
A F
AF
Biancalana
M L
ML
Stefano
H N
HN
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000473:pathology
Achados necroscópicos em pacientes com síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida.