RESUMEN
To find out the demographic profile and clinical features of HIV patient admitted in tertiary care hospital of Karachi. All diagnosed HIV patients who required admitted care for their symptoms in Infectious Disease department of Civil Hospital, Karachi were included in this descriptive case series from January 2008 to March 2009. Patients were referred from Civil Hospital Emergency, Medical wards, Sexually Transmitted Disease [STD] clinic and Sindh Aids Control Program. Detailed history and clinical examination was performed and risk factors were evaluated. Total 52 patients were admitted during the study period which included 50 [96.2%] males and two [3.8%] females. Mean age +/- SD of the patients was 33.9 +/- 9.5 years. Most common symptoms were weight loss in 31 [59.6%], fever in 22 [42.3%], diarrhea in 16 [30.8] and chronic cough in 15 [28.8%] patients while the commonest sign was pallor in 33 [63.5%] followed by muscle wasting in 21 [40.4%] patients. Hepatomegaly was found in seven [13.5%] and lymphadenopathy in five [9.6%] patients. Commonest risk factor indentified was history of blood transfusion in 48 [92.3%] patients followed by intravenous drug addiction in 19 [36.5%] and foreign travel in seven [13.5] patients. Majority of patients admitted with the diagnosis of HIV were males. Most common symptoms were weight loss, fever, diarrhea and chronic cough while pallor, muscle wasting, oedema and hepatomegaly were the frequent signs present. History of blood transfusion, IV drug user and foreign travel were important risk factors identified