English

Abstract

BACKGROUND: HIV/AIDS remains one of the world's most significant public health challenges, particularly in lowand middle-income countries.HIV affects the immune system. Its effects are seen in all the systems of the body. These manifestations may be due to HIV infection itself or due to opportunistic infections or malignancies. The clinical and pathologic findings in various organ systems including the pulmonary, skin, gastrointestinal, hematological and nervous systems have been well described in the young adult population. The present study was undertaken to study the presentation of HIV/AIDS infection. OBJECTIVES: 1. To study the clinical profile of HIV positive patients.2. To study about the hematological manifestations in HIV positive patients.3. To study the pattern of opportunistic infections in HIV positive patients. DESIGN: This was a hospital based cross sectional study conductedover a period of 2 years from September 2011 to September 2013.SETTING: ESIC Medical College & Post Graduate Institute Of Medical Science &Research Rajajinagar, Bengaluru. METHODS: This study was conducted in Department of General medicine, ESIC-MC & PGIMSR, Rajajinagar, Bangalore. 100 HIV positive patients were included in the study. RESULTS: In this study, out of 100 HIV positive patients, 62% ofpatients were males and 38% females. 56%patients were in the age group of 31-40 years. 61% of patients presented with fever as main symptom followed by weight loss as the next most common mode of presentation.38% belonged to tuberculosis group (both pulmonary and extra pulmonary) and 68% to the nontuberculosis group. Among the tuberculosis group, 16% of patients had pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). 8% of the patients had tubercular lymphadenopathy. 10% of patients had abdominal tuberculosis and 4% had tubercular meningitis.60% patients had absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) of 1000/mm3. 46% patients had CD4 count of less than 200/mm3and 54% patients had >200/mm3.CD4 count is significantly correlated with ALC with a P value = 0.023*.CONCLUSION: Majority of HIV positive patients presented with increased incidence of fever, weight loss, chronic diarrhea, cough and oral candidiasis. Most of the adults with HIV presented with AIDS defining illnesses and most of them presented with multiple concurrent opportunistic infections. Categorically most of them presented with WHO stage 3 or stage 4 illnesses.