Evaluation of a proposed clinical case definition of paediatric acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the proposed criteria against the laboratory parameters and to identify the clinical features with the highest predictive value in the diagnosis of paediatric AIDS.


METHODS
A cross sectional study.


METHODS
Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi.


RESULTS
More than twenty three per cent of the children studied were seropositive and 14% were diagnosed as having AIDS. Almost 70% of the children studied were below 24 months. AIDS was significantly associated with mouth lesions, both ulcers and oral candidiasis, skin lesions especially eczema and generalised pruritic dermatitis, prolonged cough, prolonged fever and generalised lymphadenopathy. The WHO criteria had a sensitivity of 60%, a specificity of 94%, positive predictive value of 60%, and negative predictive value of 94%. The Nairobi diagnostic criteria had a sensitivity of 80%, a specificity of 79%, a positive predictive value of 38% and a negative predictive value of 96%.


CONCLUSIONS
The Nairobi Diagnostic Criteria are superior to the WHO criteria as a screening test due to their higher sensitivity, 80% against 60% for WHO.
Otieno
F A
FA
Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Mbori-Ngacha
D A
DA
Wafula
E M
EM
Ndinya-Achola
J O
JO
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests