title: Clinical and microbiological characteristics of community-acquired pneumonia in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients: a retrospective analysis of 79 HIV/AIDS patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HIV infections are prevalent; however, the clinical characteristics of these patients are atypical.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, we analysed 79 patients who were newly diagnosed with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) at Ruijin Hospital between January 1998 and August 2011 to improve awareness of the physicians' diagnoses and to elucidate the risk factors for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and the progression to severe pneumonia or respiratory failure in AIDS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients were divided into a CAP group (A) and a non-CAP group (B). Furthermore, group A was divided into a severe pneumonia group (A1 ) and a non-severe pneumonia group (A2 ).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum albumin (25.60 ± 5.31 vs 34.00 ± 6.90; P < 0.05) and CD4 cell count (28.5 ± 30.5 vs 229.50 ± 229.45; P < 0.05) of group A were much lower than those of group B. The serum albumin and CD4 cell count negatively correlated with the incidence of CAP. The CD4 cell count (24.15 ± 25.1 vs 47.85 ± 132.5; P < 0.05) and partial pressure of oxygen (7.86 ± 1.43 vs 9.41 ± 2.15; P < 0.05) of group A1 were significantly lower than those of group A2 . Low serum albumin levels and high blood urea nitrogen levels were the risk factors of hypoxaemia in group A. Early screening and diagnosis of AIDS, as well as nutritional support, would prevent AIDS patients from developing CAP or progressing to severe pneumonia or respiratory failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhiyao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Xiajun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.forename: Qijian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qiming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Guochao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Huanying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin
keywords: AIDS; CAP; respiratory failure; risk factors; severe pneumonia