ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: HIV virtually affects every organ system of the body. The skeletal system is no exception, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been implicated in bone diseases. However, not many studies have been done to evaluate bone disease in treatment (ART) naive HIV-infected patients, and hence, the present study was executed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty HIV-infected ART-naive patients and 80 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited for this study. A thorough history and physical examination was done followed by laboratory investigations after an overnight fasting. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan at the level of lumbar spine, femur, and forearm. RESULTS: Of 120 ART-naive HIV-infected cases, the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia was 13% and 41%, respectively, as compared to 0% and 17.5% in controls (P < 0.001). The mean BMD in cases was 0.842 g/cm2 which was approximately 25% lesser than that in controls. Hypovitaminosis-D was seen in 100% of cases as compared to 65% of controls (P < 0.01). A significant association of low BMD was seen with HIV-infection per se (P < 0.001), low CD4 cell counts (P < 0.001), low Vitamin D levels (P < 0.001), long duration of disease (P < 0.04), history of opportunistic infections (P < 0.03), and history of tuberculosis in the past (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteopenia characterized by low BMD are very common in HIV-infected patients. Virus per se, along with low CD4 cell counts and low Vitamin D levels are major predictors of pathological fractures in these individuals.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Plasmodium vivax infection has been recognized to be a cause of severe malaria in recent time. We report findings from a prospective observational study aimed at analyzing the clinical spectrum, complications, and outcome of patients infected with P. vivax malaria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital of Delhi over a period of 2 years. All adults hospitalized with P. vivax malaria, confirmed on peripheral smear and/or rapid diagnostic test, were included in the study. The cases were categorized into uncomplicated and severe malaria groups according to WHO criteria. The clinical and biochemical profile of cases in each group were compared for determining the predictors of severe malaria. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty consecutive cases of P. vivax monoinfection were included in the study. All patients had fever, and 63 (42%) developed severe malaria, while 87 (58%) were uncomplicated. Vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, altered consciousness, cough with breathlessness, icterus, and hepatosplenomegaly were more frequent in severe malaria. Severe malaria was associated with severe thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, raised serum bilirubin, elevated serum creatinine, and prolonged prothrombin time. Jaundice (54 patients) was the most common complication, followed by acute respiratory distress syndrome, spontaneous bleeding, metabolic acidosis, shock, renal failure, and cerebral malaria. Multiple complications were observed in 17 (26.9%) cases of severe malaria. Overall mortality of 1.33% was recorded. However, case fatality of 40% was observed in cases with evidence of multiorgan dysfunction. CONCLUSION: P. vivax malaria has a varying clinical profile, from a relatively benign uncomplicated form to severe, even fatal disease. Certain clinical and laboratory parameters may serve as predictors of severe disease.
