Mapping a method for systematically reviewing the medical literature: a helpful checklist postmortem protocol of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related pathology in childhood.
BACKGROUND
Since the first description of two children affected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), various diagnostic procedures have been established. However, the morphologic study of biopsy and autopsy material from children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is still of fundamental importance. The morphology has contributed remarkably to the progress in understanding the pathogenesis of the primary tissue lesions and of the sequelae directly or indirectly associated with HIV infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the HIV pathology in pediatric AIDS (PAIDS) through a systematic review of the English-language literature and to draw up a practical checklist protocol for the postmortem.


METHODS
Information on HIV pathology in childhood was retrieved from a MEDLINE search (January 1994-January 2001) of the original reports and bibliographic article reviews published in English. Citations from papers retrieved were screened and retrieved papers were evaluated.


RESULTS
Based on the screened data, we propose a practical, organ-oriented checklist protocol for the postmortem according to the HIV pathogenesis.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence-based medicine is a paradigm now exerting increasing influence in related fields such as surgery, general practice, psychiatry, and pathology. This article is a summary of the literature on PAIDS pathology. The protocol that we propose is particularly useful for pediatric pathology programs and for electronic data processing.
Sergi
C
C
Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 220/221, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Consolato_Sergi@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Roth
S U
SU
Adam
S
S
Otto
H F
HF
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000473:pathology; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D004064:Digestive System / Q000473:pathology; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D016239:MEDLINE; D008297:Male; D009420:Nervous System / Q000473:pathology; D009928:Organ Specificity; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic