title: [Endoscopic evaluation of chronic human immunodeficiency virus-related diarrhea].
abstract: Chronic diarrhea is an important clinical problem in patients infected with HIV. Data assessing the diagnostic yield of upper and lower endoscopy are limited. We reported 10 cases of HIV-infected patient referred to our hospital for chronic diarrhea from March 1995 to June 1999. 60% of the pathogens were identified obviously by stool studies. Cryptosporidium and Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAI) were the most common organisms. In this study, endoscopy identified 2 additional cases of MAI and one of 5 cryptosporidia detected in stool. Immunologic test identified a CMV infection in one case. Stool tests and endoscopy identified obviously 80% of the pathogens. Most investigators and us agree that stool studies should be the first diagnostic test. In patients with negative stool studies, lower endoscopy is more cost-effective than upper endoscopy and indicated as an initial exam.
authors.affiliation: Service d'hépato-gastroentérologie, CHU Hôtel-Dieu de France, Faculté de Médecine, Université Saint-Joseph, Beyrouth, Liban.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boujaoude
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Assaf
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nasnas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abadjian
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khouri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D019053:HIV Enteropathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification*