Clinical presentation of hospitalized adult patients with HIV infection and AIDS in Bangkok, Thailand.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the clinical spectrum of disease and immune status of adult HIV-1-infected patients in Bangkok.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey of hospital admissions.


METHODS
From November 1993 through June 1996, demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected from HIV-infected inpatients (> or =14 years old) at an infectious diseases hospital.


RESULTS
Of 16,717 persons admitted, 3112 (18.6%) were HIV-seropositive, 2261 of whom were admitted for the first time. Of 2261, 1926 (85.2%) were male, 1942 (85.9%) had been infected heterosexually or by means not related to drug use, 319 (14.1%) were injection drug users (IDUs), and 1553 (68.7%) had AIDS. The most common AIDS-defining conditions were extrapulmonary cryptococcosis (EPC; 38.4%), tuberculosis (TB; 37.4%), and wasting syndrome (WS; 8.1%). IDUs were more likely (p < .05) to have TB or WS but less likely (p < .05) to have EPC or Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia than patients with no history of injection drug use. Lymphocyte counts were measured for 2047 (90.5%) patients; 81.8% had < or =1500 lymphocytes/microl.


CONCLUSIONS
These HIV-infected patients were admitted with severe immunosuppression. Cryptococcosis and TB are major problems and differ in prevalence among IDUs and persons infected sexually. Clinical and immunologic information is critical in improving the lives of HIV-infected persons in Asia through prevention, treatment, and prophylaxis.
Tansuphasawadikul
S
S
Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Hospital, Department of Communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Amornkul
P N
PN
Tanchanpong
C
C
Limpakarnjanarat
K
K
Kaewkungwal
J
J
Likanonsakul
S
S
Eampokalap
B
B
Naiwatanakul
T
T
Kitayaporn
D
D
Young
N L
NL
Hu
D J
DJ
Mastro
T D
TD
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology