ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the incidence of mycobacterial disease and the colonization of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) bacteria in AIDS patients. METHODS: Inclusion criteria: HIV-positive individuals with at least one CD4+ count < 100 cells/mm³. Exclusion criteria: Mycobacterial disease and MAC prophylaxis. Stool, sputum, and blood cultures were prospectively obtained every month from September, 1997, to December, 1999. The incidence was calculated using Poisson regression. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan Meier method and the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: We followed-up 79 patients during a median period of 428 days. Blood cultures (n = 742) were negative for all mycobacteria. Positive cultures (25 samples) were obtained from non-sterile sites: Stools (19/703 specimens = 2.7 percent) and sputum (14/742 specimens = 1.9 percent). MAC was isolated in 7/703 stool samples (1 percent) and 1/32 sputum specimens (0.1 percent). The incidence of patient colonization with MAC was 0.09 /year (CI=0.05 - 0.18). CD4 counts in patients colonized with MAC were below 100 cells/mm³ in only 2 out of 8 cases. Restoration of CD4+ counts >100 cells/mm³ (HR = 0.18; CI = 0.05 - 0.70) predicted a lower risk of death (P<0.05) but was not protective for MAC colonization (HR=0.52;CI =0.62 - 4.35, P=0.55). CONCLUSION: The absence of DMAC infection in colonized individuals argues in favor of a HAART protective effect against; DMAC; however, restoration of CD4 counts did not protect patients against MAC colonization
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/drug therapy , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections , Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active , Mycobacterium avium Complex , Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections , Brazil , Follow-Up Studies , Incidence , Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Opportunistic diseases (OD) are the most common cause of death in AIDS patients. To access the incidence of OD and survival in advanced immunodeficiency, we included 79 patients with AIDS treated at Hospital Evandro Chagas (FIOCRUZ) from September 1997 to December 1999 with at least one CD4 count <=100 cells/mm³. The incidence of OD was analyzed by Poisson's regression, and survival by Kaplan Meier and Cox analysis, considering a retrospective (before CD4 <=100 cells/mm³) and a prospective (after CD4 <=100 cells/mm³) period, and controlling for demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics. The confidence interval estipulated was 95 percent. Mean follow-up period was 733 days (CI = 683-782). During the study 9 (11.4 percent) patients died. Survival from AIDS diagnosis was a mean of 2589 days (CI = 2363-2816) and from the date of the CD4 count CD4 <=100 cells/mm³ was a mean of 1376 (CI = 1181-1572) days. Incidence of OD was 0.51 pp/y before CD4 <= 100 cells/mm³ and 0.29 pp/y after CD4 <= 100 cells/mm³. A lower number of ODs before CD4 < 100 cells/mm³ was associated with lower incidence rates after CD4 <= 100 cells/mm³. AIDS diagnosis based on CD4+ counts <= 200 cells/mm³ was associated with lower incidence rates after CD4 <= 100 cells/mm³. Baseline CD4 counts above 50 cells/mm³ (HR = 0.13) and restoration of baseline CD4+ counts above 100 cells/mm³ (HR = 0.16) were associated with a lower risk of death. Controling both variables, only restoration of baseline counts was statistically significant (HR = 0.22, p = 0.04). We found a very low incidence of OD and long survival after CD4 < 100 cells/mm³. Survival was significantly associated with restoration of baseline CD4 counts above 100 cells/mm³