[Diastolic dysfunction in human immunodeficiency virus infection]. / Disfunción diastólica en la infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana.

AIMS: We sought to determine the prevalence and characteristics of echocardiographic abnormalities (systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction, pericardial effusion) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) with no symptoms or previous history of cardiac disease, and compare them with a healthy control group. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 125 patients (73% male, mean age 33.2 +/- 6.6 years) with HIV infection without cardiac involvement and 47 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers (78% male, 31.6 +/- 7.3 years). The immunologic situation was determined by CD4 lymphocyte counts. RESULTS: Abnormal left ventricular relaxation and filling patterns (E/A relation 1.31 +/- 0.35 in HIV group, 1.66 +/- 0.38 in control group, p < 0.001; pressure half-time 57.5 +/- 13 in HIV group, 50.6 +/- 6.6 in control group, p < 0.001), segmental wall-motion abnormalities (15%) and pericardial effusion (7.2%) were found in patients with HIV infection. Systolic function (EF 64.8 +/- 8.3) and left ventricular dimension (diastolic diameter 4.94 +/- 0.55, systolic diameter 3.17 +/- 0.51) showed normal patterns and did not significantly differ from those of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Silent echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with HIV infection are frequent suggesting a direct myocardial effect of the virus. The development of diastolic dysfunction is directly related to a worse immunologic situation. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the clinical prognosis of these asymptomatic abnormalities.

[Reactivity of serologic tests for the detection of syphilis in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus]. / Reactividad de las pruebas serológicas para detección de sífilis en pacientes infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana.

BACKGROUND: The coexistence of syphilis and infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) appears to modify the natural history of both diseases. The aim of this study was to know the prevalence of syphilis in a population of patients with HIV infection, the possible association with certain risk practices and the validity of the reaginic test in such patients. METHODS: Three hundred sixty-seven patients with HIV infection who went for the first time to a monographic clinic of a university hospital were studied. Syphilis serology was carried out: rapid plasma reaginic (RPR) and hemagglutination (MHA-TP) tests. RESULTS: Out of all the patients 26 (7.1%) had positive MHA-TP. The proportion of homosexuals was greater among those who had a positive treponemic test (69%) than among those who were negative (6.4%; odds ratio [OR] = 32.6; confidence interval 95%: 16.2-65.4). The positivity of MHA-TP was more frequent among those presenting criteria of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the diagnosis (18% versus 5.6%; OR = 3.6 [1,5-8,9]). Seventy-four false positive reactions were observed with the RPR (20%) corresponding almost exclusively (96%) to intravenous drug users who presented false positivity in 25% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of syphilis detected by treponemic serology among subjects with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus is related with homosexuality as the principal practice of risk. One quarter of the intravenous drug users with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus presented false positive results to the reaginic test thus leading to the recommendation that therapeutic measures should not be initiated without confirmation with a treponemic test.

[Hodgkin's disease in patients with infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. Study of 9 cases]. / Enfermedad de Hodgkin en pacientes con infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Estudio de 9 casos.

Nine young males with Hodgkin's disease (HD) and antibodies against the human immunodeficiency virus were evaluated. They had been diagnosed since 1984 in three Madrid hospitals: Hospital 12 de Octubre, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, and Clínica Puerta de Hierro. Eight patients were intravenous heroin abusers and one was homosexual. In 8 patients (88.8%) HD presented in advanced stages (III and IV), and in 5 cases (55.5%) the histology corresponded to mixed cell type. Four patients (44.4%) developed opportunistic infections. In the immunological study a reduction of CD4+ lymphocytes below 0.4 X 10(3)/l was found in 5 of 7 patients (71.4%), and an inversion of CD4+/CD8+ ratio in 6 of 7 patients (85.7%). The response to therapy was poor. Five patients died (55.5%). In 4, the direct cause of death was an opportunistic infection. The reasons why we think that HD in patients with HIV infections should be considered as indicating acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are discussed.

[Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare disseminated infection in patients with AIDS]. / Infección diseminada por Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare en pacientes con SIDA.

BACKGROUND: Disseminated infection by Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare is almost exclusively produced in individuals with HIV infection. The incidence of this infection in Spain is unknown. METHODS: The clinical and microbiologic registries of 30 patients with AIDS and disseminated infection by Mycobacterium avium are reviewed. METHODS: Twenty-three percent of the patients with AIDS had, at some time in their evolution, disseminated infection by M. avium. The clinical picture included prolonged fever, digestive symptoms, weight loss and appearance of lymph node enlargement. This infection appeared in patients with severe alteration of cellular immunity (mean CD4 lymphocytes: 0.19 x 10(9)/l). Although medium term prognosis was bad the causes of death of the patients were other opportunistic diseases related with the immunodeficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Infection by Mycobacterium avium is frequent among the population of individuals with HIV infection. With the appearance of prolonged fever in a patient with HIV infection and CD4 lymphocyte count lower than 0.2 x 10(9)/1 appropriate microbiologic studies including blood cultures for mycobacteria should be initiated.

[Past, present and future of zidovudine, the first antiretroviral drug]. / Pasado, presente y futuro de la zidovudina, el primer antirretroviral.

The zidovudine (ZDV) was the first drug approved to treat the VIH infection. The ZDV prescriptions have been changing throughout the years. Actually it's known that its efficacy is limited over time, and same substances have been discovered which inhibtes more strongly the VIH replication. However the ZDV appears in majority the combined therapy regimens as a first line drug. Even in same special situations there is no existence of another antiretroviral drugs which have showed utility. In this essay it s revised the mainly studies which have provided new knowledge about the ZDV treatment and it s also considered the possibilities of this drug in the more new therapies against the VIH.

[Mortality and survival in a cohort of 1,115 HIV-infected patients (1989-97)]. / Estudio de la mortalidad y supervivencia en una cohorte de 1,115 pacientes con infección VIH (1989-97).

BACKGROUND: To study survival and HIV/AIDS-related mortality from 1989 through 1997. To analyze the effect of antiretroviral treatment and prophylaxis against P. carinii pneumonia (PCP-prophylaxis). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied a cohort of 1,115 HIV (+) outpatients (331 with AIDS-defining criteria) seen in our specific HIV hospital unit from January 1989 through May 1997. We analyzed the effect of different antiretroviral treatments on annual mortality rate. In survival studies we used Cox regression analysis to analyze survival over time as well as the effect of different opportunistic events, adherence and changes in treatment during follow up. RESULTS: Mortality rate was 13.7 per 100 person-years in 1994. It went down to 4.2 during the first half of 1997 (p=0.001). Mortality rate decreased depending on treatment received: 53% (CI 95=34-65%) with monotherapy, 68% (CI 95=38-84%) with bitherapy, 86% (CI 95=40-96%) with triple therapy, and 49% (CI =29-64%) with PCP-prophylaxis. Patients with more than 100 CD4 had an increasing survival over time (p=0.002). In AIDS patients good adherence to antiretroviral treatment and PCP-prophylaxis were associated with a lower risk of death (RR=0.88; CI 95=0.63-1.22 and RR=0.72; CI 95=0.55-0.95 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In recent years PCP-prophylaxis and antiretroviral treatment (especially combined therapy) have contributed to a decrease in AIDS-related mortality. Adherence to treatments relates to risk of death and survival.

[Efficacy and safety of zidovudine in monotherapy in patients with HIV infection]. / Eficacia y tolerancia del tratamiento con zidovudina (ZDV) en monoterapia en pacientes con infección VIH.

BACKGROUND: To study the efficacy and the tolerance of the zidovudine (ZDV) in monotherapy for the treatment of a cohort of patients with HIV infection, most of them injection-drug users (IDU). METHODS: Retrospective study of a historic cohort of 350 patients, from January 1988 to December 1994. The clinic progression, the immunologic deterioriation and the survival after the ZDV administration were evaluated, like the toxicity of the drug. RESULTS: The estimated progression time to AIDS for the 25% of the cohort was 29 months for the initially asymptomatic patients and 22 months for the subjects who showed symptoms. After 26 months half of the patients showed CD4 cell counts less to 50% of the basals. The cumulative survival probability after a year was 99%, 97% and 85% for the groups A, B y C of the CDC classification, and 94%, 87% and 58% after two years for these groups. The predictive factors associated with the survival were the clinic and immunologic status, ESR, LDH, and beta 2-microglobulin levels at the beginning of the treatment. The 35% of the patients suffered adverse events, mainly hematologic effects, although they only forced to suspend the treatment in the 5% of the cases. The only predictive factor associated with the toxicity was a neutrophile count less than 1.500 cells/mm3 previous to the treatment (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The ZDV use in monotherapy in a cohort of patients majority IDU shows the same efficacy and safety as the treatment in other patients with HIV infection.

[New CCR5 inhibitor antiretroviral drugs and integrase inhibitors]. / Nuevos fármacos antirretrovirales: inhibidores del CCR5 y de la integrasa.

Two new antiretroviral drugs belonging to a new drug family have recently been marketed in Spain. These are maraviroc (CCR5 correceptor inhibitor) and raltegravir (integrase inhibitor). These have the advantage of not presenting crossed resistance with other previously administered antiretroviral drugs, converting them into the cornerstone of the rescue treatment in the patient infected by a multiresistant viral strain. The scientific evidence available on these two drugs is reviewed in this work and its indications in the HIV infected patient are discussed.

[Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and HIV infection: diagnosis and treatment]. / Neumonía por Pneumocystis carinii e infección por el VIH: diagnóstico y tratamiento.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is one of the leading complications among HIV-infected patients. Recent advances in PCP prophylaxis, diagnosis and treatment have caused a decrease in PCP-related morbidity and mortality. Despite these advances, PCP continues to be frequent in patients not known to be HIV-infected and in those patients with poor adherence to prophylactic regimens or severe immunosuppression. In typical cases diagnosis may be suspected by the patient's clinical presentation. Clinicians are frequently faced with the differential diagnosis between PCP, bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, and other specific respiratory disorders HIV-associated. Definitive diagnosis of PCP requires demonstration of Pneumocystis carinii (PC) in respiratory secretions or lung tissue. Conventional techniques, immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies and molecular techniques are highly specific, but sensitivity varies depending on the PC load present in the sample. Best diagnostic yield is obtained analyzing samples obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage. PC diagnosis using highly sensitive PCR in sputum-induced samples might allow noninvasive diagnosis in most HIV-infected patients suffering from PCP but PCR techniques remain to be standardized. Like in PCP prophylaxis, trimethoprim-sulphametoxazole (TS) is the drug of choice for PCP treatment. In severe case, TS is given intravenously. If patient is intolerant to TS, i.v. pentamidine or i.v. trimetrexate with folinic acid can be used. TS has a dose-dependent toxicity. In cases of hypersensitivity to TS, drug-desensitization should be tried. In severe documented PCP adjunctive corticosteroid therapy is effective and safe. In mild to moderate PCP, TS can be given orally. Best alternatives to TS in this situation are dapsone-pyrimethamine or clindamycin-primaquine (CP). Other effective options are oral atovaquone, aerosolize pentamidine and i.v. pentamidine.

[Symptomatic hyperlactatemia associated with the use of antiretroviral agents]. / Hiperlactatemia sintomática en relación con el uso de antirretrovíricos.

Lactic acidosis has been reported as a rare but potentially fatal complication of anti-retroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients, mostly with nucleoside analogues. Two cases of lactic acidosis with a favorable prognosis are here reported. So far, no distinct risk factors associated with the development of lactic acidosis have been identified which were associated with the use of anti-retroviral agents, apart from female sex, obesity, and the prolonged use of necleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Currently, there is no specific treatment for this condition, apart from drug discontinuation and hydro-electrolytic support. Several therapies based upon the pathophysiology of this entity have been tested, but none of them has been validated so far.

[Prognostic factors of mortality during the episode of pneumonia due to Pneumocystis carinii in patients with HIV infection]. / Factores pronósticos de mortalidad durante el episodio de neumonía por Pneumocystis carinii en pacientes con infección por VIH.

BACKGROUND: Despite a steady decrease in its incidence, pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinii (PCP) are still diagnosed, and they occur frequently in patients unaware of being infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Since it is a disease with a high mortality risk, its early diagnosis and therapy would allow these patients to benefit from the advantages afforded Pneumocystis carinii, neumonía, infecciones oportunistas relacionadas con el sida, pronóstico.by anti-retroviral therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study, in which all adult HIV infected patients with microbiologically demonstrated PCP diagnosed at two tertiary-level hospitals in our country between 1985 and 1996 were included. The clinical records of patients were used as information source. The relative risks (RR) of death were estimated by the multivariant logistic regression. RESULTS: PCP was the first AIDS indicating disease in approximately 70 % of cases. Thirteen percent of patients died during the episode. Patients aged over 45 years had a death RR during the episode of 3.15 (95 % CI from 0.8 to 12.2); patients previously diagnosed of AIDS had a death RR of 3.4 (95 % CI from 1.3 to 9), and those with an alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (pA-aO2) > 50 mmHg, a death RR of 3 (95% CI from 1.1 to 8). CONCLUSIONS: Factors independently related to survival to the PCP episode are age below 45 years, not to have had another AIDS indicating disease, and to have a pA-aO2 below 50 mmHg at diagnosis.

[Predictive factors of non-compliance with anti-tuberculosis treatment in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus]. / Factores predictivos del abandono del tratamiento antituberculoso en pacientes infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana.

A study was conducted to know the rate of non-compliance of antituberculosis therapy among HIV-infected patients, the factors associated with non-compliance and the evolution of these patients. The therapy compliance in 276 tuberculous HIV infected patients diagnosed in two Madrid hospitals was analyzed. Fifty-one patients (18%) were not included in the analysis (6 died without therapy, 6 were lost and 39 died during therapy). Out of the 225 evaluable patients, 36 (16%, 95% CI, 11.6-21.6) did not comply with therapy. The only factor associated with a higher therapy non-compliance was the antecedent of drug use (20% of non-compliance; relative risk: 10, 95% CI, 1.4-71). Patients using drugs at tuberculosis diagnosis had higher risk for non-compliance (31%; RR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6-6.3). The incidence of tuberculosis reactivation after leaving therapy was 78.8/100 patient-years. Therapy non-compliance increased death risk associated with tuberculosis (RR, 9.8; 95% CI, 4.6-21). Programs for controlling antituberculous therapy should give priority to active drug users, as this is the group with the highest risk for non-compliance.