       Document 0690
 DOCN  M9440690
 TI    Severity and outcome of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in patients
       of known and unknown HIV status.
 DT    9404
 AU    Mallal SA; Martinez OP; French MA; James IR; Dawkins RL; Department of
       Clinical Immunology, Royal Perth Hospital, Western; Australia.
 SO    J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1994 Feb;7(2):148-53. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/94133084
 AB    Of 170 Western Australian patients who had their first AIDS-defining
       illness between 1 January 1983 and 31 December 1991, 61 (36%) were of
       unknown HIV antibody status (AIDS presenters), while 109 (64%) were of
       known HIV antibody status (HIV presenters). Pneumocystis carinii
       pneumonia (PCP) was less common as the AIDS-defining illness in HIV
       presenters (41% versus 62%, p = 0.005). In this study of 70 patients
       with PCP as the index AIDS diagnosis, 36 were HIV presenters and 34 were
       AIDS presenters. Ten HIV presenters were taking prophylaxis at the time
       PCP manifested. The duration of symptoms of cough or dyspnea before the
       diagnosis of PCP was shorter, and the arterial PO2 measurement on
       admission was higher in those on prophylaxis, and a lower proportion of
       patients on prophylaxis required hospital admission (p < or = 0.05 for
       all comparisons). Furthermore, the CD4 counts at diagnosis of PCP were
       lower in patients taking PCP prophylaxis (mean 26 x 10(6)/L) than in
       patients who were not (mean 94 x 10(6)/L, p = 0.007). Of seven patients
       who died of PCP, none were receiving treatment for HIV disease before
       AIDS presentation. These findings suggest that PCP is prevented or
       deferred in patients receiving care for HIV disease and is less severe
       as a result of early diagnosis and treatment.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS  Adult  Aged
       Female  Human  HIV Infections/*COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS  Leukocyte Count
       Male  Middle Age  Oxygen/BLOOD  Pneumonia, Pneumocystis
       carinii/*ETIOLOGY/MORTALITY/PREVENTION &  CONTROL  Respiration,
       Artificial  Severity of Illness Index  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  T4
       Lymphocytes  Western Australia/EPIDEMIOLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

