Objective: To gain a better view of the Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) infection in a cohort of Puerto Ricans HIV/AIDS patient. Methods: We studied 106 patients with PTB in a group of 2646 HIV patients, who were followed by the Adult Spectrum of Disease Project in the Retrovirus Center at Bayamón, Puerto Rico, between Jan.1992 and Sept. 1999. Results: PTB prevalence was of 4 x100; 82% were male. The mean age at PTB diagnosis was 37 ± 8 y. Injecting Drug use was the main exposure mode to HIV infection(73.6%), significantly higher than in all HIV/AIDS cases (58.7%). The mean CD4 cell count at the TB infection time, was 174 ± 250. Antecedents of Esophageal Candidiasis ( 24.6%), Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia (16%), and Brain Toxoplasmosis (Toxo) (5.6%) were reported. Twenty-six patients died in the first two months after the PTB diagnosis. As of September/99, 73% had died. The mean age at death was 38.5 ± 8 y. A cox regression showed that low CD4 level and antecedents of Toxo or WS at the moment of the PTB diagnosis increased significantly (P<0.01) the risk of death in these patients. Conclusions: Our data suggest that HIV-TB is highly related with Injecting Drug use and that these patients were highly clinical and immunological compromised at the moment of the TB infection. A possible delay in the diagnosis and treatment of PTB in these HIV/AIDS patients has to be evaluated in future studies. Sponsored by RCRII/NIH grant numbers P20RR11108, G12RR03035 and CDC/ASD grant number U62/CCU206209.
Learning Objectives: 1. Determinate the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis infection in a cohort of Puerto Rican HIV/AIDS patients. 2.Recognize and analyze the clinical conditions and antecedents that could affect the mortality in a cohort of Puerto Rican HIV/AIDS patients with pulmonary tuberculosis infection
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, TB
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.