title: Prevalence of pancreatic disorders in HIV-infected hemophiliacs: diagnostic methods and their clinical significance.
abstract: Pancreatic damage has been well described in HIV+ patients and can occur both for therapy and opportunistic infections, but its prevalence is not clear. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of pancreatic damage in a cohort of HIV+ hemophiliacs together with the clinical and prognostic value of the diagnostic methods commonly used. We studied 75 HIV+ patients and 26 HIV- as a control group: they were evaluated by biochemical tests, indirect pancreatic functional tests, abdominal ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT). No differences were observed between HIV+ and HIV- in elevation of pancreatic enzymes. Eleven patients had slight CT alterations and none had abnormal US. In HIV+ there was no relationship between enzyme elevation and CDC group, CD4+ cell count or therapy. In conclusion, pancreatic disorders have a very low prevalence in HIV+ hemophiliacs and biochemical alterations we found had a doubtful clinical significance. Lipase and isoamylase are the more reliable tests and lipase, being the cheapest and easiest to perform, has to be considered as the first test of choice for monitoring pancreatic damage in HIV+ patients.
authors.affiliation: A Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Tradati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gringeri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Santagostino
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cultraro
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simoni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Fazio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mezzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cappelletti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malesci
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Mannucci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications*; D002836:Hemophilia B / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*