Evolución temporal de la afectación renal en una serie necrópsica de pacientes VIH de las eras pre y TARGA / Temporal evolution of renal involvement in a necropsy study of HIV patients from the pre and HAART eras

Fundamento: El objetivo del estudio es analizar la evolución de las lesiones anatomopatológicas renales en VIH que hubiesen recibido o no medicación antirretroviral de alta actividad (TARGA).Sujetos y métodos: Se revisaron las historias clínicas de 100 pacientes fallecidos entre 1984 y 2006, con registros clínico-analíticos y muestras anatomopatológicas. Sesenta y uno habían fallecido antes de 1997 (grupo I) y 39 pacientes después, de los cuales24 no habían recibido TARGA (grupo II) y 15 sí (grupo III). Las muestras renales se tiñeron con hematoxilina-eosina, PAS, tricrómico de Masson y plata-meteramina. Se registraron para todos los pacientes los diagnósticos anatomopatológicos finales, así como las lesiones a cada uno de los tres niveles: glomérulo, túbulo e intersticio. Se definió NAVIH como la presencia de glomerulosclerosis segmentaria y focal, con colapso glomerular y lesiones microquísticas túbulo-intersticiales. Resultados: Las principales causas de muerte fueron infecciones (68%) o tumores (14%), y el resto (18%) fueron otras causas, especialmente hepatopatías. Un42% de los individuos presentaban insuficiencia renal en el momento del fallecimiento. En los tres grupos de estudio predominaban las lesiones tubulares, seguidas de las lesiones intersticiales y de las glomerulares. Cuando se compararon aquellos sujetos en tratamiento con TARGA con aquellos sin tratamiento, encontramos un porcentaje significativamente mayor de lesiones en el intersticio en el grupo con TARGA. En este grupo hubo también más casos de necrosis tubular aguda NTA, si bien estas diferencias no fueron estadísticamente significativas. Conclusiones: Las lesiones renales son frecuentes en pacientes afectados de VIH en el momento de la muerte, independientemente del período de estudio considerado y del tratamiento recibido (AU)

Background: The aim of the present study is to analyze the impact of high activity antiretroviral therapy (HAART)in the renal lesions observed in autopsies of HIV patients. Subjets and methods: Clinical records and renal pathologic samples from 100 HIV patients, dead from 1984 to 2006,were reviewed, 61 before 1997 (group I) and 39 after. Among them, 24 did not receive HAART (group II) and 15did (group III). Clinical and analytical data premortem were obtained. Renal samples were stained with hematoxilin eosin, PAS, Masson thricromic and silver-meteramine. Final pathologic diagnosis was recorded along with the finding sat glomerular, tubular and interstitial levels. HIVAN was defined by the presence of focal or segmental glomerulosclerosis with glomerular collapse and tubule-interstitial microcystic lesions. Results: The main causes of dead were infections 68%, tumors 14%, and others 18%, especially liver diseases. Renal failure was present in 42% at the time of the dead. A predominance of tubular lesions exists in the three study groups. The main diagnosis were acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and septic nephritis. Four cases of HIVAN were found. In subjects under HAART more interstitial lesions have been observed. There were also more cases of acute tubular necrosis but these differences were not statiscally significant. Conclusions: Renal lesions were frequent in HIV patients independent of the presence or the absence of HAART (AU)

[Temporal evolution of renal involvement in a necropsy study of HIV patients from the pre and HAART eras]. / Evolución temporal de la afectación renal en una serie necrópsica de pacientes VIH de las eras pre y TARGA.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to analyze the impact of high activity antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on renal lesions observed in autopsies of HIV patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Clinical records and renal pathologic samples from 100 HIV patients, who had died between 1984 and 2006, were reviewed, 61 before 1997 (group I) and 39 after. 24 of them had not received HAART (group II) and 15 had (group III). Premortem clinical and analytical data were obtained. Renal samples were stained with hematoxilin-eosin, PAS, Masson trichrome and silver-methenamine. The final pathologic diagnosis was recorded along with the findings at glomerular, tubular and interstitial levels. HIVAN was defined as the presence of focal or segmental glomerulosclerosis with glomerular collapse and microcystic tubulo -interstitial lesions. RESULTS: The main causes of death were infections 68%, tumours 14%, and others 18%, especially liver diseases. Renal failure was present in 42% at the time of death. A predominance of tubular lesions exists in the three study groups, followed by interstitial lesions and glomerular lesions. The main diagnoses were acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and septic nephritis. Four cases of HIVAN were found. When the subjects who received HAART treatment were compared with those who did not, a significantly higher percentage of interstitial lesions in the group with HAART was observed. There were also more cases of acute tubular necrosis but these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Renal lesions were frequent in HIV patients independent of the presence or absence of HAART.

Test Digital de Percepción (TDP) para la valoración de trastornos perceptivos incipientes en la enfermedad de Alzheimer inicial / Perception Digital Test (PDT) for the assessment of incipient visual disorder in initial Alzheimer's disease

Introducción. Los trastornos de la percepción visual son frecuentes en las enfermedades degenerativas con afectación cerebral de localización posterior como la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA). El objetivo principal de este estudio es la creación de un test de percepción visual basado en el tratamiento de fotografías digitales (Test Digital de Percepción, TDP), así como ofrecer sus valores normativos en la población española anciana. El segundo objetivo del estudio es validar el test en un grupo de pacientes con EA leve, en estadio 4 según la Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) (EA-4). Sujetos. Los grupos estaban formados por 86 controles sanos y 27 pacientes con EA-4.Método. A todos los sujetos se les aplicó el TDP que consta de 15 ítems con cuatro opciones de respuesta.Resultados. El tiempo medio de aplicación en controles sanos fue de 85 s (desviación estándar: 33). La diferencia en las medias obtenidas por los grupos resultó estadísticamente significativa (control: 13,5 [1,4]; EA-4: 10,6 [2,9]; p=0,05]. La edad no tuvo una influencia significativa en el rendimiento obtenido en el TDP en ninguno de los grupos; sin embargo, los años de escolaridad influyeron significativamente en la puntuación del grupo control.Conclusión. El TDP es un test rápido, fácil y sensible para evaluar los trastornos de percepción visual en la EA inicial

Introduction. Visual perception disorders are frequent in degenerative diseases with posterior cerebral lobe involvement, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The main aim of this study is to create a Perception Digital Test (PDT) based on the treatment of digital photographs, and to present normative values in the elderly Spanish population. The second objective is to validate the test in a group of patients with mild AD, stage 4 in the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) (AD-4).Subjects. The group were constituted by 86 healthy controls (CTR) and 27 AD patients.Method. VPT, which was formed by 15 items with four options of answer, was administered to all subjects.Results. Mean time of administration of PDT in CTR was 85 seconds (standard desviation: 33). Mean result obtained for each groups was significantly different (CTR: 13.5 [1.4]; AD-4: 10.6 (2.9); p = 0.05). Age did not significantly influence PDT performance in any of the groups. However, years of education influenced significantly the CTR group score.Conclusion. PDT is an easy, quick and sensitive test to assess visual perception disorders in initial AD

[Efficacy of memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease]. / Eficacia de la memantina en el tratamiento de la enfermedad de Alzheimer.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder clinically characterized by cognitive loss with impairment of daily living activities. The benefits presently observed with the approved treatments are mainly symptomatic without clear evidence of neuroprotection. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonists have very extensive therapeutic potential in several central nervous system disorders and can be used in chronic neurodegenerative diseases and in other neurological diseases such as epilepsy. Memantine, a moderate-low affinity, uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, is the only antiglutamatergic drug currently approved for the treatment of moderate to severe AD. Several studies have demonstrated that treatment with memantine has cognitive and functional benefits through all disease stages, while it is safe and well tolerated. Additionally, memantine generates an indirect positive effect on the caregiver, which results in some social benefits. This fact, together with a delay on the transition towards a greater dependence stage is probably associated with a decrease in the number of patients institutionalized. From a socio-economic perspective, these effects mean lower global cost of disease, therefore being a cost-effective drug.

Eficacia de la memantina en el tratamiento de la enfermedad de Alzheimer / Efficacy of memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

La enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) es una enfermedad neurodegenerativa caracterizada clínicamente por la pérdida de funciones cognitivas con repercusión en las actividades de la vida diaria. En la actualidad los tratamientos aprobados para el manejo de la EA generan un beneficio fundamentalmente sintomático, sin que hayan demostrado capacidad neuroprotectora. Los fármacos antagonistas de los receptores del glutamato N-metil-D-aspartato (NMDA) tienen un potencial terapéutico muy extenso, pudiendo emplearse como tratamiento en procesos neurodegenerativos y en otras enfermedades neurológicas como la epilepsia. La memantina, un antagonista no competitivo de moderada-baja afinidad del receptor NMDA, representa en la actualidad el único fármaco antiglutamatérgico aprobado para el tratamiento de la EA moderada-avanzada. Diversos estudios han demostrado que el tratamiento con memantina produce beneficios cognitivos y funcionales en todos los estadios de la EA, siendo, asimismo, un fármaco seguro y bien tolerado. Por otro lado, la memantina indirectamente genera un efecto positivo sobre el cuidador, lo cual se traduce en un beneficio social. Ello, junto al retraso en la transición a un estado de mayor dependencia, se asocia probablemente a una reducción en el número de pacientes institucionalizados. Desde una perspectiva socioeconómica, estos efectos se traducen en un menor coste económico global de la enfermedad, siendo por ello un fármaco coste-efectivo

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder clinically characterized by cognitive loss with impairment of daily living activities. The benefits presently observed with the approved treatments are mainly symptomatic without dear evidence of neuroprotection. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonists have very extensive therapeutic potential in several central nervous system disorders and can be used in chronic neurodegenerative diseases and in other neurological diseases such as epilepsy. Memantine, a moderate low affinity, uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, is the only antiglutamatergic drug currently approved for the treatment of moderate to severe AD. Several studies have demonstrated that treatment with memantine has cognitive and functional benefits through all disease stages, while it is safe and well tolerated. Additionally, memantine generates an indirect positive effect on the caregiver, which results in some social benefits. This fact, together with a delay on the transition towards a greater dependence stage is probably associated with a decrease in the number of patients institutionalized. From a socio-economic perspective, these effects mean lower global cost of disease, therefore being a cost-effective drug

[From the municipal dog pound to the pet shelter in Barcelona, Spain]. / De la perrera municipal al centro de acogida de animales de compañía de Barcelona.

This article aims to present changes in public health policy and services related to pet dogs and cats in the city of Barcelona from 1983 to 2001. Initially the center's activity was limited to the custody and euthanasia of stray animals, serving not only the city but also the rest of the province. With the formulation of a city Plan for Pet Animals, the activities were redirected, concentrating on services within the city limits and stimulating adoption. Participation of both professional and humane organizations was sought, premises were renovated, responsible ownership of animals was promoted, controlled urban colonies of cats were established, and adoptions become the cornerstone of policy, centering the activity of the shelter toward its clients. Changes in the shelter's activity since 1998 reflects a clear decrease in the number of animals retained, as well as in the proportion subjected to euthanasia. This decrease may reflect an improvement in the problem of stray animals. These developments have also resulted in a positive change in the relationship with the media and animal welfare organizations.

De la perrera municipal al centro de acogida de animales de compañía de Barcelona / From the municipal dog pound to the pet shelter in Barcelona, Spain

El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar la evolución de la política y los servicios de salud pública relativos a los animales de compañía en la ciudad de Barcelona de 1983 a 2001.Partiendo de una actividad centrada en la custodia y la eutanasia de los animales sin dueño de Barcelona, y ofertando también servicios al resto de la provincia, se formula un Plan de Animales de Compañía para la ciudad y se reorienta la actividad, centrándola en los límites estrictos del municipio y el estímulo de la adopción. Se busca la participación de profesionales y entidades proteccionistas, se remodelan las instalaciones, se fomenta la tenencia responsable de animales, se crean colonias urbanas controladas de gatos y se estimulan las adopciones, redefiniendo la actividad con una mayor orientación al cliente. La evolución de la actividad desde 1998 refleja una notable disminución en el volumen de animales custodiados, así como en la proporción de los sacrificados. Esta disminución puede reflejar una mejora en el problema de los animales abandonados. Estos cambios se han traducido en una modificación positiva de las relaciones con los medios de comunicación y las entidades proteccionistas (AU)

[Portfolio of services in a public health organization]. / La cartera de servicios en una organización de salud pública.

Health services in Spain are currently being improved. Definition of the services portfolio has been one of the elements in this process, from which public health services have been largely left out. In the present article public health services are examined from the perspective of the Public Health Agency of Barcelona. We propose a scheme to classify services into productive public health services, health care services, services that are intermediate products, support services, and liaison or coordinating services. Indicators of productivity, result, impact, and cost are explored, and a catalogue of services for a public health organization with a well defined population and area is proposed.

La cartera de servicios en una organización de salud pública / Portfolio of services in a public health organization

La definición de la cartera de servicios ha sido uno de los elementos del proceso de mejora de la gestión de los servicios sanitarios en España, en curso, del que los servicios de salud pública se han mantenido en buena parte al margen. En este trabajo se analizan los servicios de salud pública a partir de la experiencia de la Agencia de Salud Pública de Barcelona. Se propone un esquema de categorización que permite distinguir entre los que son propiamente servicios productivos de salud pública, los que son asistenciales, los que tienen características de productos intermedios y los que son servicios de apoyo o de coordinación y enlace. Se exploran indicadores de productividad, resultado e impacto y de coste, y se formula un catálogo de servicios para una organización de salud pública con responsabilidades sobre una población y un territorio definidos (AU)

Health services in Spain are currently being improved. Definition of the services portfolio has been one of the elements in this process, from which public health services have been largely left out. In the present article public health services are examined from the perspective of the Public Health Agency of Barcelona. We propose a scheme to classify services into productive public health services, health care services, services that are intermediate products, support services, and liaison or coordinating services. Indicators of productivity, result, impact, and cost are explored, and a catalogue of services for a public health organization with a well defined population and area is proposed (AU)

"P < 0,05 sí, pero...": la aplicación de la metodología cualitativa en la investigación sanitaria / "P < 0,05 yes, but..." application of qualitative methodology in healthcare research

Actualmente se admite que para la correcta comprensión de determinados aspectos de la salud pública es necesaria la utilización de las denominadas metodologías cualitativas. En el presente artículo pretendemos revisar las características esenciales de este tipo de abordaje, mediante el cual podemos responder a preguntas del tipo "¿qué?", "¿cómo?" o "¿por qué?, mientras que con la utilización exclusiva de las metodologías cuantitativas tan sólo podemos responder a preguntas del tipo ¿cuánto?, "¿con qué frecuencia?" o "¿con qué intensidad?" Dentro de las metodologías cualitativas reconocemos dos grandes grupos: las técnicas de consenso (Delphi o grupo nominal, por ejemplo), y las técnicas interpretativas o descriptivas (entrevistas o grupos focales, entre otras).Se examinan las características, requerimientos y garantías de las diversas fases de un estudio cualitativo: planteamiento de hipótesis, selección de participantes en el estudio, recogida de la información, análisis de la información y descripción e interpretación de los resultados. Se concluye que las metodologías cualitativas, correctamente aplicadas pueden considerarse tan científicas y rigurosas como las metodologías cuantitativas (AU)

El anciano con demencia

La prevalencia de la demencia aumentará en las próximas décadas asociada al envejecimiento de lapoblación. El diagnóstico precoz de estos pacientes es importante para su manejo y la aplicación de estrategias terapéuticas. En el presente capítulo describiremos la patogenia, las características clínicas y los criterios diagnósticos de las demencias neurodegenerativas más frecuentes: la enfermedad de Alzheimer, la demencia con cuerpos de Levy y la demencia frontotemporal. Finalmente, abordaremos su manejo, tanto desde un punto de vista social como farmacológico (AU)

An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in an inner city district: importance of the first 24 hours in the investigation.

OBJECTIVE: To present the main results of the investigation of an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease that occurred in an inner city district of Barcelona between 15 October and 15 November 2000. METHODS: Epidemiological surveys of patients and environmental investigations were initiated on the day the first five cases were notified. Water samples and smears from cooling tower trays were taken for microbiological analysis. Maps of the distribution of cases and possible contamination foci were elaborated. Incidences were calculated for each census tract. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients related to the outbreak were identified, with a case fatality rate of 5.5%. Incidence rate in the area closest to the cooling tower (6.40/1000) was significantly higher than that of the rest of the neighbourhood (2.23/1.000, RR 2.87, 95%CI 1.37-6.12, P = 0.0035). Cultures positive for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, subtypes Pontiac, Philadelphia or Allentown, were obtained from eight patients. On the 39th day of the investigation it was found that the strain isolated in one of the cooling towers coincided with the serogroup, subtype and molecular profiles identified in clinical samples. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid coordination of clinicians, microbiologists, epidemiologists and environmentalists permitted the source of infection and the affected cases to be correlated within a few days.

[Present and future of neurology in Spain]. / Presente y futuro de la neurología española.

This is a document prepared by the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN), which was given to the President of Spain (Mr. José María Aznar) last September with the main aim of examining the current situation of Neurology in our country. It analyses the present and future of Neurology in clinical assistance, teaching and research. To prepare this document the criteria of patients' associations has been considered, including the Declaration of Madrid which has been subscribed by thirty of these associations. In spite of its relevant development in the previous decades, the current situation of Neurology in Spain is far from the ideal. To reach the recommendable menber of 3 or 4 neurologists per 100,000 inhabitants it is necessary to duplicate the present number of neurologists which has been estimated around 2/100,000; this situation is especially urgent in some Autonomous Communities. The most important problems in neurological assistance are: inadequate follow-up of the chronic outpatients, low numbers of neurological beds and of duties of Neurology, as well as of neurological case of patients with urgent neurological disorders. It is also necessary to increase the number of professors of Neurology to adequately cover pregraduate teaching; again there are important differences in teaching positions among Autonomous Communities. Neurology residence should be prolonged from 4 to 5 years. Finally, it is necessary to support the appearance of superespecialised units and to promote a coordinated research with other close specialities including basic neuroscience.

Treatment of skin carcinomas of the face by high-dose-rate brachytherapy and custom-made surface molds.

PURPOSE: To analyze the results obtained in a prospective group of patients with basal or squamous cell skin carcinomas of the face treated by high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy via custom-made surface molds. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 136 patients with basal or squamous cell carcinomas of the face were treated between March 1992 and March 1997 by surface molds and HDR brachytherapy with iridium-192. Nineteen patients were treated with standard Brock applicators and 117 patients with custom-made polymethyl methacrylate applicators, built over a plaster mold obtained of the patient's face. Minimum dose administered to the tumor was 6000 to 6500 cGy in 33 to 36 fractions at 180 cGy/fraction in lesions of up to 4 cm. Lesions greater than 4 cm were boosted up to 7500-8000 cGy after a 3-week pause. RESULTS: With the custom-made surface molds, the dose distribution was uniform in the surface of the skin and at 5 mm depth in the whole area of the applicator. Differences between the areas of maximum and minimum dose at this depth never reached values higher than 5% of the prescribed dose. At the edges of the custom-made molds dose gradient was sharp, with the detected dose at 5 mm from the applicator being negligible. All the patients were complete responders. There were 3 local recurrences, 1/73 patients treated for primary tumor and 2/63 patients treated for recurrent tumor. Actuarial local control at 5 years for all patients was 98%, for those patients with primary tumors 99%, and for recurrent patients 87%. The treatment tolerance was excellent in all cases. No severe, early, or late, complications were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy is a highly effective treatment of skin carcinomas of the face. Custom-made molds, to be used in conjunction with HDR brachytherapy equipment, make possible a uniform dose distribution, with a sharp dose gradient in the limits of applicators. Custom-made surface molds are easy and safe to use, and they fit very accurately for daily treatment. Local control is excellent with minimal sequelae or complications. Probably they will become the standard way of treatment of face skin carcinomas in the near future.

[Study of comparative immunity of patients with M. tuberculosis and atypical Mycobacteria infection and infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)]. / Estudio de inmunidad comparativo entre pacientes con infección por M. tuberculosis y micobacterias atípicas que están infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH).

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the basal immune status, in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, who were affected from tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis or atypical mycobacterium. In the current study, we report our experience with 280 patients diagnosed TB and HIV: fifty cases were eligible for enrollment at random with M. tuberculosis (group I) and we compare with 23 cases of atypical mycobacterias (group 2). When we analyze statistically both groups, we detected in group 2 the existence of a CD4 Lymphocytes count decrease and a mean IgA raised, opposite to group I (P < 0.0001). On other side, our investigation on survival showed that this was lower in atypical mycobacterias group (group 2) with a median time of survival of 10 months, opposite to 2,9 years in group I.

[Tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection. A prospective study of 215 patients]. / Tuberculosis e infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Estudio prospectivo de 215 pacientes.

We analyze the cases of 215 adult patients affected from tuberculosis (TB) and infection due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the study period from December 6th, 1986 to January 31st of 1992. Disease affected specially the group of drug addict patients (DAP) with a 74.88%, followed by paid plasma donors (PPD) from our city with a 12.09%. Sexual transmission was the route of contamination with the HIV in 16 cases. In five cases atypical mycobacteria were detected. First-line anti-tuberculostatics drugs activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis was excellent. A total of 17 cases with toxicity to any of these drugs were described. TB was located in the lung in 108 cases (50.23%), in 74 cases out of the lung (34.41%) and in 33 cases there was intrapulmonary as well as extrapulmonary affectation (15.34%). TB was diagnosed at the same time that a disease which met AIDS criteria in 13.49% of cases, TB was diagnosed first in 32.55% of cases, and AIDS was diagnosed before TB in only 7.91% of cases. Fever was the predominant symptom (88.84%), together with toxic status at admittance (80.47%) and deteriorated immune situation with lymphocytes count decrease (mean 1240/mm) and CD4 (mean value 134.5/mm) together with a mean raised IgA (492.85 mg/dl). Thorax radiography was normal in 34.88%. In 33 of these patients TB was localized in the lung, in 27.91% primary radiologic types were observed while in 31.16% reactivation types. In 51 cases (23.72%) tuberculosis was detected in patients (DAP) who were forwarded from the penitentiary system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Candida laryngitis and HIV infection: description of 4 cases]. / Laringitis candidiásica e infección por VIH: descripción de cuatro casos.

Candidiasic laryngitis is a very rare Candida spp infection of mucosa, appearing typically in immunosuppressed patients, mainly in patients with neoplasia, and, recently, in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (VIH) infection. We present four cases of candidiasic laryngitis and HIV infection, as well as the clinical description and evolution of said cases after treatment with fluconazole. We review, as well, the cases published on the scientific literature. We maintain that in each HIV infected patient, with or without oral candidiasis, who shows dysphonia, candidiasic laryngitis should be ruled out.

[A serum immunoglobulin study in patients with tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection]. / Estudio de inmunoglobulinas séricas en pacientes con tuberculosis e infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana.

We present the immunoglobulin spectrum in a series of 156 HIV-infected patients who were affected of tuberculosis (TB) of different localization. Sixty-seven patients had lung TB, in 13 cases lung TB and an opportunistic infection were diagnosed simultaneously and in 76 cases TB was localized outside the lung. The cases were compared to 62 HIV-infected patients classified in stage 11 (CDC 1986) and to 85 cases of HIV-infected patients who suffered carinii pneumonia (PCP). The most outstanding differences were established between IgA of patients with lung TB and group PCP (p less than 0.001). IgG showed significant differences between lung TB patients and the PCP group (p less than 0.001).