Anorectal pathology in HIV/AIDS-infected patients has not been impacted by highly active antiretroviral therapy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine if the prevalence and distribution of anorectal pathology in HIV-infected patients treated by colorectal surgeons have changed after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy.


METHODS
The Los Angeles County-University of Southern California HIV Clinic is solely dedicated to the care of HIV patients. A colorectal clinic was established within this environment in 1991 and has served as the exclusive provider for the care of anorectal pathology in these patients. A prospective database of patients treated at this clinic was reviewed for two 18-month periods. The first group (early period) was composed of patients treated between January 1994 through June 1995, before the institution of more effective antiretroviral therapy. The second group (later period) consisted of patients treated between January 2001 through June 2002, after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Data were tabulated for HIV-related anorectal pathologies, such as anal ulcer and anogenital condyloma, and non-HIV-related pathologies, including fissure, fistula in ano, hemorrhoids, perianal abscess, and other pathologies, for each of the two time periods.


RESULTS
A total of 117 individual patients with anorectal pathology were treated in the early period and 109 received care in the later period, of which 107 were able to be evaluated. The pathology was distributed as follows for the early vs. late periods: 33 vs. 33 percent for ulcer, 30 vs. 34 percent for condyloma, 9 vs. 4 percent for fissure, 6 vs. 6 percent for fistula, 4 vs. 5 percent for hemorrhoids, 3 vs. 3 percent for abscess, and 15 vs. 16 percent for all other anorectal pathology. There was no statistically significant difference in any of these groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence and distribution of both HIV-related and non-HIV-related anorectal pathology seen in our HIV patients have not been altered by the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy.
Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Claudia
C
Gonzalez-Ruiz
Wesley
W
Heartfield
Bill
B
Briggs
Petar
P
Vukasin
Robert W
RW
Beart
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001004:Anus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology