ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Early use of prophylactic regimens against Pneumocystis carinii and zidovudine therapy, may have modified the natural history of patients with HIV-1 infection. We describe the incidence of opportunistic infections and analize the mortality rate in those patients to check the occurrence of any change in the above mentioned natural history. PATIENTS: Clinical charts of patients with HIV-1 infection attending our hospital are reviewed, from november 1987 to june 1994. RESULTS: We found 200 patients with AIDS, documenting 64 (32%) deaths and 69 (34.5%) patients lost to follow-up. Seven HIV-1 infected patients (3.5%) received primary prophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii and 17 (8.5%) zidovudine therapy before developing AIDS. Patients with AIDS receiving zidovudine therapy had a higher survival (median 50 months) than those not receiving such therapy (median 17 months; p < 0.001). Ninety one patients with tuberculosis receiving zidovudine therapy had also a higher survival than those not receiving antirretroviral therapy (p < 0.01). Eighty six patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia receiving zidovudine had also a higher survival (p < 0.001). Likewise, patients on zidovudine treatment had a lower reduction on CD4 lymphocyte count. CONCLUSIONS: The spectrum of AIDS-defining illnesses is similar to the whole country. We have not found any difference in the incidence of opportunistic infections, but we observed a trend to reduction in the incidence rate of PCP. The introduction of zidovudine therapy seems to have a positive influence on the survival of AIDS patients. This advantage is highlighted in those patients more immunodeficients at first.
