title: Thrombotic microangiopathy in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome before and during the era of introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: The incidence of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) was retrospectively evaluated in a cohort of 1223 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) who were observed from January 1985 through December 1996 (before the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy [HAART]), and the incidence was prospectively assessed for 347 patients with AIDS during the period of January 1997 through December 2000 (during the HAART era). Seventeen cases were reported in the former cohort (1.4%). The increased risk of developing TMA was statistically significant in patients with cryptosporidiosis or AIDS-related cancer but not in those with other diseases. In the 1997-2000 cohort, no cases were observed during follow-up. TMA is associated with conditions observed in the advanced phases of human immunodeficiency virus infection. The disappearance of TMA during the HAART era may be explained by the lower percentage of patients with long-lasting CD4+ T cell depletion, advanced AIDS, or cryptosporidiosis or who have undergone multiple courses of chemotherapy for treatment of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, L. Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, 20157 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gervasoni
authors.forename: Anna Lisa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ridolfo
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaccarezza
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parravicini
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vago
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Adorni
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cappelletti
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: d'Arminio Monforte
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galli
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents