title: Tuberculosis infection in HIV-infected Indian patients.
abstract: Individuals with HIV infection are at increased risk for tuberculosis (TB). The altered CD4 T-cell homeostasis induced by HIV infection may play a key role in the development of tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients. In this retrospective analysis, lymphocyte profiles (CD4 and CD8 count) of subjects infected with HIV, with or without TB, were evaluated. The influence of tuberculosis treatment on the CD4 count in dually infected patients was analyzed in a subset of patients available for follow-up. Of 421 subjects with HIV infection studied, 105 (24.9%) were positive for TB (HIV+TB+). A statistically significant difference (p = 0.0001) was found in the median CD4+ counts between the HIV+TB- (297.5 per microliter) and HIV+TB+ (181 per microliter) groups. TB was found to be the indicator disease for HIV infection in 36 (34.2%). In 65.7% of HIV-infected patients, TB was the first AIDS-defining disease. Of 72 patients who were receiving TB treatment, 33 (45.9%) showed an increase in CD4 counts, but this was statistically not significant. None of these patients was undergoing antiretroviral therapy prior to TB treatment. We conclude from this retrospective study that TB, a common HIV-related opportunistic infection in Indian subjects, is associated with lower CD4+ counts. The influence of TB therapy on CD4 counts in the patients needs to be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. mvajpayee@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Madhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vajpayee
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanswal
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seth
authors.forename: Navneet
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wig
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pandey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents