title: Clinical and radiographic features of HIV-related pulmonary tuberculosis according to the level of immunosuppression.
abstract: Medical charts and radiographs from 38 HIV-infected patients with positive cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage were reviewed in order to compare the clinical, radiographic, and sputum bacilloscopy characteristics of HIV-infected patients with pulmonary tuberculosis according to CD4+ lymphocyte count (CD4). The mean age of the patients was 32 years and 76% were male. The median CD4 was 106 cells/mm(3) and 71% had CD4 < 200 cells/mm(3). Sputum bacilloscopy was positive in 45% of the patients. Patients with CD4 < 200 cells/mm(3) showed significantly less post-primary pattern (7% vs. 63%; p = 0.02) and more frequently reported weight loss (p = 0.04). Although not statistically significant, patients with lower CD4 showed lower positivity of sputum bacilloscopy (37% vs. 64%; p = 0.18). HIV-infected patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis had a high proportion of non-post-primary pattern in thoracic radiographs. Patients with CD4 lower than 200 cells/mm(3) showed post-primary patterns less frequently and reported weight loss more frequently.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Eduardo de Menezes, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG. guifgarcia@ig.com.br
authors.forename: Guilherme Freire
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Alexandre Sampaio
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: Cid Sérgio
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Manoel Otávio da Costa
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011859:Radiography; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology*