title: Abdominal aortic surgery in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is known to cause acquired immune deficiency syndrome, which has been associated with a wide array of cardiovascular pathologies. This report examined the clinical outcome of patients infected with HIV who underwent abdominal aortic reconstruction for aneurysm or occlusive disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital and clinic records of all patients with HIV infection who underwent an abdominal aortic operation were reviewed during an 11-year period. Relevant risk factors and clinical variables were assessed for surgical outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight HIV patients (mean age 54 +/- 13 years) were identified who underwent abdominal aortic bypass grafting during the study period. Indications for aortic operation included aneurysm (n = 20) and aortoiliac occlusive disease (n = 28). All patients underwent successful aortic reconstructions without intraoperative mortality. Postoperative complications and in-hospital mortality occurred in 16 patients (33%) and 7 patients (15%), respectively. The mean follow-up period was 41 months. Life-table survival rates in aneurysm and occlusive patients at 60 months were 43.2% +/- 5.3% and 46.3% +/- 7.4% (not significant), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that low CD4 lymphocyte counts (< 200/microL, P <0.05) and hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dL, P <0.05) were risk factors for postoperative complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perioperative morbidity and mortality rates are high in HIV patients undergoing an abdominal aortic operation. Low CD4 lymphocyte counts and hypoalbuminemia are associated with poor clinical outcomes in HIV patients undergoing abdominal aortic reconstruction.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery & Endovascular Therapy, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, 2002 Holcomb Blvd (112), Houston, TX 77030, USA. plin@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ruth L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Bush
authors.forename: Qizhi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paladugu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Changyi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lumsden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D034141:Hypoalbuminemia / Q000175:diagnosis; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods