Clinical and therapeutic evaluation of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): infectious disease consultation

This study has as a principal objective to evaluate, patient infected with the Human Immnodeficiency Virus (HIV), from the standpoint of view of the clinical and therapeutic aspects. All patients were treated at the University Hospital "Ruiz y Páez". March to October 2010. We performed a prospective, descriptive, longitudinal, field and non experimental study in which were studied 200 adult patients. 140 of 200 (70.00%) patients had HIV infection, being patients mostly included in teh working age group (31-40 years) with 40% (n=56) and 60% of them being male (n=84). In the clinical spectrum was evidenced fever 25% (n=35) and weight loss 11,4% (n=16) as the general signs and symptoms most frequently seen. We also found patients with diarrhea in 18,5% (n=26), oropharyngeal white plaques 10,7% (n=15), headache 6,4% (n=9). Laboratory findings were: anemia 7,4% (n=10), leukocytosis 5,7% (n=8) and positive serology for toxoplasmosis 7,8% (n=11). Associated ¡nfections were: respiratory infections 25% (n=35), intestinal parasitosis 12,1% (n=17) and 10,7% oropharyngeal candidiasis (n=15). Most of the patients, 30% (n=42), attending infectious Diseases Consulting had the latter CD4 + count in the range of 201-500 cells/mm³. Regarding the viral load in the last vist, it was found to be at <50 copies / mL, in 28.5% (n=40) of the patients. Clinical stage of most of the patients was (A2) (asymptomatic) in 25,7% (n=36). Most often used antiretroviral therapy were combinations of reinforced IP plus nucleotide analogues in 65,7% (n=92). We found a lot of trobubles and limitations for the infectious diseases consultation. Among the difficulties can be noted that 38,5% (n=54) of patients arrives to consultation without history, laboratory test and with/without a scheduled appointment. Regarding the limitations, the most significant one was the excess of patients attending consultation and lack of general and microbiology laboratory at the institution...