title: [Clinical characteristics and natural history of human immunodeficiency virus infection. Study in a Chilean population served at a multiprofessional pilot center].
abstract: Four hundred and eighty six infected adults (90.7% men) were prospectively followed from 1988 to 1993 at a multiprofessional center in Santiago, Chile. 87.8% of male patients (pts)--84% of them homo/bisexual--and 64.4% of women acquired the infection sexually. At the beginning of the follow up (F/U) 51% of men and 71% of women were asymptomatic and 30% of the total group had AIDS. (AIDS definition: CDC 1993, excluded CD4 lymphocyte count < 200 x mm3). 240/486 (49.4%) had developed AIDS at the end of the study (12/31/93). AIDS defining events (ADE) were: interstitial pneumonia (confirmed or suggestive as caused by P. carinii [PCP]), 25%; tuberculosis (all forms), 22.1%; wasting, 13.8%; Kaposi Sarcoma, 9.2%; esophageal candidiasis, 6.7%; isosporiasis, 5.4%. Of all PCP cases, 72% were ADE, the rest, post.AIDS'. As expected, AIDS pts continued having major complications (mainly bacterial pneumonias, PCPs, esophagitis, tuberculosis and diarrhea due to I. belli and Cryptosporidium. Less frequently, but also observed, were toxoplasmic encephalitis and cryptococcal meningitis). Known mortality (excluded abandonment of F/U) was 27% for the whole group and varied from 5.8%, 51.6% to 69.2% for the first, 4th and 6th year of F/U respectively. For II-III CDC pts the mortality was 5% and 57% and for IV CDC pts it was 38% and 100% during the first and 6th year of F/U respectively. 36%, 53%, 74% and 85% of the pts followed for 1, 3, 5 and 6 years respectively had developed AIDS by the end of 1993. Multifactorial causes with either diarrhea, wasting or both were responsible for the death in half the pts in whom this was known, 15% died of respiratory complications and 5.7% of cryptococcal meningitis. 80% of AIDS pts survived their ADE. This study has provided information about the clinical profile of the HIV infection and natural history of the disease in Chile.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Northland
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Segovia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beltrán
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valdés
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albornoz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Allendes
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000635:transmission; D000328:Adult; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D003151:Community Health Centers; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies
vernacular_title: Características clínicas e historia natural de la infección por virus de inmunodeficiencia humana. Estudio en una población chilena atendida en un centro piloto multiprofesional.