Pulmonary complications in patients with AIDS: a report from a Beijing hospital.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to improve the awareness of pulmonary complications in patients with AIDS.


METHODS
Nine patients with AIDS with pulmonary involvement from March 1992 to March 2000 were analysed.


RESULTS
Of the nine cases, there were eight cases complicated with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). The clinical presentation of PCP was fever (8/8), dyspnoea on exertion or at rest (7/8), and hypoxaemia with a mean PaO2 of 58 mmHg. Chest X-ray films showed bilateral diffuse interstitial or alveolar infiltrates. Pulmonary tuberculosis, tuberculous lymphadenitis and bronchial fungal infection were found in three cases.


CONCLUSIONS
AIDS patients are at high risk of suffering from pulmonary complications, of which PCP is most common. If young patients who were healthy in the past suddenly suffered from pneumonia and respiratory failure, PCP should be considered. When opportunistic pulmonary infection is diagnosed under special circumstances, one should be alert to the possibility of AIDS and examine serum antihuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody.
Xu
K F
KF
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China. xu_kf@hotmail.com
Lu
W
W
Li
L
L
Shen
R
R
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D002681:China; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*