title: AIDS-associated cryptococcosis: a comparison of epidemiology, clinical features and outcome in the pre- and post-HAART eras. Experience of a single centre in Italy.
abstract: Objectives To assess the prevalence, clinical and immunological characteristics, risk factors and survival of patients with AIDS-related cryptococcosis in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Methods All newly diagnosed cryptococcosis cases identified retrospectively from among a series of AIDS patients hospitalized consecutively at a single institution in Italy in 1985-1996 (pre-HAART period, n=165) and 1997-2006 (post-HAART period, n=40) were analysed comparatively. Results The prevalence of cryptococcosis decreased from 4.7% (165/3543) to 2.2% (40/1805) between the pre- and post-HAART periods (P=0.0001). There were no differences in the clinical features or immunological status of the patients between the two cohorts. The variables associated with the occurrence of cryptococcosis in the post-HAART era were older age (P<0.001), no previous diagnosis of HIV infection (P<0.001) and infection in homosexual males (P=0.004). During the post-HAART period, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome associated with cryptococcosis was observed in five patients (19.3%) a median of 15 weeks after the start of HAART. Thirty-day survival (P=0.045) and overall survival (P=0.0001) were significantly better among patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis in the post-HAART compared to those diagnosed in the pre-HAART era. Conclusions The AIDS-associated cryptococcosis observed in Western countries in the HAART era has similar clinical and immunological characteristics to that observed in the pre-HAART era, but a significantly better outcome.
authors.affiliation: Luigi Sacco Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Infectious Diseases and Immunopathology, University of Milan, Italy. spinello.antinori@unimi.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antinori
authors.forename: Al
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ridolfo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fasan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galimberti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milazzo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sollima
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Adorni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giuliani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corbellino
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parravicini
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents