Clinical and immunological status of a newly diagnosed HIV positive population, in Marrakech, Morocco.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and the immune status of newly HIV diagnosed patients, in Marrakech city and its neighboring area, in Morocco. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study on 235 patients who have been previously confirmed for HIV infection, and underwent a CD4 T cells using flow cytometry (FacsCount, Becton Dickinson®). RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 34,3 ± 8,4 years (range: 14-55), with a male predominance (sex-ratio M/F=1.4). On basis of clinical data of the patients, 62% (n=146) of them were categorized as "category C", 18.4% (n=43) as "category B", and 19.6% (n=46) as "category A" according to CDC (Center for Disease Control) HIV classification. Among all of them, 60.4% (n=142) had less than 200 CD4T cells, 26% (n=61) had between 200 and 499 CD4T cells, and only 13.6% (n=32) showed a number of CD4T cells less or equal to 500/mm(3). CONCLUSION: The results of this study reflect a significant delay in the diagnosis of HIV infected patients. Therefore, this delay may compromise timely management of HIV infected individuals and enhances propagation of the epidemic in our country. These data confirm the need for intensifying prevention efforts among high-risk population. Moreover, continuing education in HIV/AIDS among healthcare providers should be reinforced.

[Prevalence of cardiomyopathy in HIV infection: prospective study on 158 HIV patients]. / Etude de la prévalence des cardiomyopathies au cours de l'infection VIH: étude prospective de 158 patients VIH.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may affect the heart and left ventricular dysfunction appears to be common. OBJECTIVE: This was the first study in Morocco to investigate the frequency of cardiomyopathy in patients infected with HIV. METHODS: We made a prospective echocardiographic study of 158 patients starting in September 2004 (88 men and 70 women, mean age 34 [5.4] years) with positive HIV serology and a clinical diagnosis of HIV infection according to CDC criteria and 80 seronegative control subjects. Patients were classified as AIDS group (90 patients) and HIV group (+) (68 patients) and HIV (-) (80 subjects). RESULTS: Twenty-eight out of 156 (17.7%) cases of cardiomyopathy were found, distributed in 24 out of 90 (26.6%) in the AIDS group and four out of 68 (2.8%) in the HIV+group (p<0.01) and none in the HIV (-) group. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was noted among 88 out of 158 (55.7%) infected patients. There was a significant increase of cardiomyopathy in patients with HIV infection and decreased CD4 (less than 100 per millimetre cube; n=16 [57%]) compared to those with CD4 between 100 and 200 per millimetre cube; n=6 (21.42%) (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Echocardiography was a useful technique for the early detection of cardiac dysfunction in asymptomatic HIV positive carriers and AIDS patients. The frequency is related to HIV infection stage and CD4+ counts. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction can precede systolic dysfunction and may be a useful technique for the early detection of cardiac dysfunction.