Profile of CD4 Counts and Symptoms in HIV Positive Patients on and not on Antiretroviral Therapy.
Loading...
Date
2011-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This communication pertains to a study on analysis of the profile of CD4
counts and symptoms in HIV infected adult subjects on and not on
antiretroviral therapy. Clinical symptoms in HIV infected patients
attending a tertiary care hospital in north India were recorded by direct
questioning. Differences in distribution of categorical variables were
analyzed using chi-square test. A p-value <0.05 was considered
statistically significant. 317 enrolled HIV positive patients, 271/317
(85.5%) patients were symptomatic. The common symptoms were
weakness (65.6%), bodyache and joint pain (63.4%), lethargy and fatigue
(62.5%), prolonged fever (53.3%), weight loss (47.6%), cough (44.5%), loss
of appetite (44.2%) and chronic diarrhoea (40.1%). Most symptoms were
found significantly less frequently in patients on antiretroviral therapy
(ART). High CD4+ T-cell counts were negatively associated with
symptoms. The overall proportion of symptomatic patients was
significantly higher than the number with an etiologically documented
opportunistic infections (32.5%). Pulmonary tuberculosis (30.9%) was
the most frequently documented opportunistic infection. Antiretroviral
therapy appears to be beneficial in reducing symptoms in HIV positive
patients. Affordable high quality laboratory diagnostic facilities for the
diagnosis of opportunistic infections under the public health program
will help to obtain an accurate picture of the range of opportunistic
infections in HIV patients in India.
Description
Keywords
HIV, symptoms, antiretroviral therapy, opportunistic infections, diagnosis, India
Citation
Wal N, Venkatesh V, Agarwal G G, Tripathi A K. Profile of CD4 Counts and Symptoms in HIV Positive Patients on and not on Antiretroviral Therapy. Journal of Communicable Diseases. 2011 Mar; 43(1): 51-56.