Chest CT Imaging Features of HIV/SARS-COV-2 Infected Patients from the Capital of Amazonas State

Abstract

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 on global public health, emphasizing its severity and the efforts made to enhance diagnostic practices and clinical management. Chest Computed Tomography (CT) has been widely used to assess complications caused by the virus, particularly in patients coinfected with HIV. The study evaluated 29 chest CT scans, comparing HIV+ and HIV- patients. Among HIV+ patients, 66.7% reported regular antiretroviral therapy, and 43.8% had a CD4+ T cell count below 200 cells/mm3 . Coinfections were observed, including neurotoxoplasmosis and pulmonary tuberculosis. Clinical outcomes showed that 90% of patients were discharged, 3.5% were transferred, and 7% died, all of whom were HIV+ . CT findings revealed that HIV+ patients exhibited fewer ground-glass opacities, but a higher rate of consolidation. The severity score was lower in HIV+ patients, with the lower lobes of HIV- patients more affected. The text also discusses the variability in CT manifestations in HIV patients, highlighting the importance of considering previous conditions. The study suggests that HIVrelated immunosuppression may paradoxically protect against severe COVID-19 manifestation, but low CD4 counts (<200 cells/ µL) can predispose patients to more severe forms of the disease. However, the study acknowledges limitations, such as a small sample size and the need for follow-up CT examinations to understand the complete disease course.