Anal carcinoma and HIV infection: is it time for screening?

A 38-year-old white man had a 10-year history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (A3), with no episodes of opportunistic diseases and in good immunologic recovery (CD4 cell count: 450 and indetectable HIV viral load) while on HAART. He presented with a two-month history of mild anal symptoms, including pruritus and episodic bleeding. He referred past episodes of anal warts, self-treated with several topical compounds, all proven unsuccessful. Perianal examination showed erythema and scratching. A 0.5cm sized tumor, with infiltration at the base was detected on digital exam, located at 15mm from the anal margin. Local biopsy driven by high-resolution anuscopy (AAR) yielded a final diagnosis of infiltrative epidermoid carcinoma. Might that neoplasia have been prevented?

[Prognostic factors of mortality during the episode of pneumonia due to Pneumocystis carinii in patients with HIV infection]. / Factores pronósticos de mortalidad durante el episodio de neumonía por Pneumocystis carinii en pacientes con infección por VIH.

BACKGROUND: Despite a steady decrease in its incidence, pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinii (PCP) are still diagnosed, and they occur frequently in patients unaware of being infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Since it is a disease with a high mortality risk, its early diagnosis and therapy would allow these patients to benefit from the advantages afforded Pneumocystis carinii, neumonía, infecciones oportunistas relacionadas con el sida, pronóstico.by anti-retroviral therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study, in which all adult HIV infected patients with microbiologically demonstrated PCP diagnosed at two tertiary-level hospitals in our country between 1985 and 1996 were included. The clinical records of patients were used as information source. The relative risks (RR) of death were estimated by the multivariant logistic regression. RESULTS: PCP was the first AIDS indicating disease in approximately 70 % of cases. Thirteen percent of patients died during the episode. Patients aged over 45 years had a death RR during the episode of 3.15 (95 % CI from 0.8 to 12.2); patients previously diagnosed of AIDS had a death RR of 3.4 (95 % CI from 1.3 to 9), and those with an alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (pA-aO2) > 50 mmHg, a death RR of 3 (95% CI from 1.1 to 8). CONCLUSIONS: Factors independently related to survival to the PCP episode are age below 45 years, not to have had another AIDS indicating disease, and to have a pA-aO2 below 50 mmHg at diagnosis.

[Predictive factors of non-compliance with anti-tuberculosis treatment in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus]. / Factores predictivos del abandono del tratamiento antituberculoso en pacientes infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana.

A study was conducted to know the rate of non-compliance of antituberculosis therapy among HIV-infected patients, the factors associated with non-compliance and the evolution of these patients. The therapy compliance in 276 tuberculous HIV infected patients diagnosed in two Madrid hospitals was analyzed. Fifty-one patients (18%) were not included in the analysis (6 died without therapy, 6 were lost and 39 died during therapy). Out of the 225 evaluable patients, 36 (16%, 95% CI, 11.6-21.6) did not comply with therapy. The only factor associated with a higher therapy non-compliance was the antecedent of drug use (20% of non-compliance; relative risk: 10, 95% CI, 1.4-71). Patients using drugs at tuberculosis diagnosis had higher risk for non-compliance (31%; RR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6-6.3). The incidence of tuberculosis reactivation after leaving therapy was 78.8/100 patient-years. Therapy non-compliance increased death risk associated with tuberculosis (RR, 9.8; 95% CI, 4.6-21). Programs for controlling antituberculous therapy should give priority to active drug users, as this is the group with the highest risk for non-compliance.

[HIV infection in old age: an epidemiological and clinical study in 42 patients in the Community of Madrid]. / Infección por el VIH en la edad geriátrica: estudio epidemiológico y clínico en 42 pacientes de la Comunidad de Madrid.

A cross-sectional study was conducted at diagnosis of HIV infection in 42 patients aged > or = 60 years attended in two hospitals in the Madrid Community. Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics were retrospectively analyzed. Mean age was 64 years, 38 patients (90.4%) were males, and 24 (57.1%) met the AIDS criteria at diagnosis. Risk behaviour: 14 (33.3%) heterosexuals, 13 (30.9%) homosexuals, 3 (7.1%) bisexuals, 3 (7.1%) had received blood derivatives, 2 (4.7%) transfused patients, 1 (2.3%) parenteral drug abuser, 1 (2.3%) others and 5 (11.9%), unknown. In 18 (42.8%) patients there was a delay of diagnosis of 7.5 +/- 1.2 months (range: 1.5-24 months). These patients had lymphocyte counts lower than those diagnosed without delay (102 +/- 20 vs 262 +/- 67.10(9)/l, p < 0.01). Patients without AIDS criteria had a likelihood of 15.4% of progression towards AIDS at one year. The survival rate of patients with AIDS at one year was 50.1%. Patients with AIDS and diagnostic delay had a survival rate at one year lower than that in patients without diagnostic delay (30.7% vs 77.8%, p = 0.03). In summary, a predominant sexual transmission was found in our series. Delay of diagnosis entails a greater clinical and immunologic deterioration and a lower survival at one year. Early diagnosis and therapy with anti-retroviral agents might induce a longer survival in these patients.

[Spectrum of the renal pathology in HIV infection: description of 85 autopsies and clinico-pathologic correlation]. / El espectro de la patología renal en la infección por el VIH: descripción de 85 autopsias y correlación clínico-patológica.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on the prevalence and histologic characteristics of renal lesions found in the autopsies of 85 patients with HIV infection: also, a retrospective analysis of clinico-biological characteristics in 56 of these patients in order to establish the factors associated with the histological findings. A total of 85 autopsies were made from 1985 to 1993; 50 autopsies (58.8%) showed renal changes: 23 (27%) infections, 13 (15.2%) acute tubular necrosis (ATN), 6 (7%) tumors, 5 (5.8%) intersticial nephritis (IN), 5 (5.8%) nephrocalcinosis (NC), 10 (11.7%) others. In an additional study: group IIc (n = 37, study group with nephropathy) had a higher incidence in the hepatitis B surface marker (HBsAg) than in group Ic (n = 19, control group, without nephropathy) (0 vs 10, p < 0.05). The presence of disseminated mycobacteriosis in the autopsy was significantly higher in the group with nephropathy than in the group without nephropathy (11 vs 1, p < 0.05). No consistent data were observed between the clinical diagnosis of nephropathy and autopsic findings. In summary, a high incidence of nephropathy was found in the autopsies of HIV infected patients, although it was not previously suspected. Renal lesions in autopsies of HIV infected patients had a tubular-intersticial predominance over glomerular lesions. The use of potentially nephrotoxic drugs, the presence of HBsAG, and some opportunist infections apparently influenced on the development of renal lesions among these patients.

[Association of cytomegalovirus colitis and the 1st episode of ulcerative colitis in an immunocompetent patient]. / Associación de colitis por citomegalovirus y primer brote de colitis ulcerosa en un paciente immunocompetente.

Colitis by cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an inflammation of the large bowel which leads to mucous and submucous ulceration producing bloody diarrhea of uncertain evolution. This disease is well known in immunosuppressed (IS) patients but is very rare in immunocompetent (IC) patients, particularly in association with the initiation of the ulcerative colitis (UC). The case of an immunocompetent male who developed UC following colitis by primary CMV is presented. Although the immunologic mechanism of UC is undoubtable, this case suggests the possibility of CMV being a triggering factor of UC.

[Alterations in calcium metabolism in patients with active tuberculosis]. / Alteraciones del metabolismo del calcio en pacientes con tuberculosis activa.

BACKGROUND: Abnormalities in phosphocalcic and vitamin D metabolism may develop in patients with active tuberculosis (TB). Their incidence and relationship with the disease is not well known, particularly in our area. We have prospectively evaluated 40 patients with TB [(30 with localized TB (LTB) and 10 with disseminated TB (DTB)]. METHODS: After stabilizing the diet during 4 days, the calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and creatinine balances, blood ionic calcium, plasma intact PTH, 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] and serum 1.25 dihydroxyvitamin D [1.25(OH)2D] were measured. RESULTS: Hypercalcemia was not found in any patient, but 25% had hypercalciuria (HC). The 24-hour urinary excretion of calcium was higher in patients than in controls (3.2 +/- 1.7 mg/kg or 0.10 +/- 0.06 mg/100 ml of GFR vs 2.3 +/- 0.7 mg/kg or 0.08 +/- 0.03 mg/100 ml of GFR, p less than 0.05), basically at the expense of patients with DTB (4.4 +/- 1.8 mg/kg or 0.14 +/- 0.06 mg/10 ml of GFR, p less than 0.005). These had a lower PTH than patients with LTB and controls (12.8 +/- 7.7 vs 18.5 +/- 6.9 vs 19.5 +/- 6.0 pg/ml, p less than 0.05). Independently from the extent of the disease, the patients with HC had a lower PTH (12.6 +/- 6.8 vs 18.5 +/- 6.9 pg/ml, p less than 0.01) and higher serum 1.25(OH)2D (34.5 +/- 10.1 vs 25.0 +/- 7.2 pg/ml, p less than 0.01) than patients without HC. The levels of 25(OH)D were lower in patients with TB than in controls (11.2 +/- 6.0 vs 20.0 +/- 7.0 ng/ml, p less than 0.05), independently from the extent of the disease and the presence or absence of HC. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with tuberculosis may have hypercalcinuria with inadequately high levels of 1.25(OH)2D and low intact PTH. This abnormality appears to be correlated with the extent of the disease.

[Capillaroscopy in vasculitis]. / Capilaroscopia en las vasculitis.

A prospective study of the capillaroscopy changes in 15 patients afflicted with vasculitis is presented. 2 of them had classic polyarteritis nodos (PAN), 3 had Churg-Strauss allergic angiitis and granulomatosis, 2 had hypersensitivity vasculitis (HV), 6 had giant-cell arteritis (GCA) and 2 had polyangiitis overlap syndrome (POS). Periungual capillaroscopy (PC) showed isolated changes in 11 patients (73%). We observed more changes in those cases with active disease (83% vs. 67%); they were mainly microhemorrhage (without any statistical significance). There were no more findings in patients with a more generalised affliction (nervous system, kidneys and/or skin) than in the others. In conclusion, the capillaroscopy findings were few and non-specific. PC is a diagnostic method of negligible value in this type of disease.

[Giant-cell arteritis: the clinico-biological manifestations and the complications secondary to steroid treatment]. / Arteritis de células gigantes: manifestaciones clínico-biológicas y complicaciones secundarias al tratamiento esteroideo.

The analysed clinico-biological manifestations, evolutive course and treatment of 30 patients with GCA are presented. The most frequent symptoms were fever and headache. 33% of patients had FOD criteria. 26% had various visual alterations. All patients were initially treated with steroids. Of the 26 patients followed up, 21 (81.7%) experienced some sort of complication: Cushing iatrogenic, osteoporosis, vertebrae collapse, aseptic necrosis of the femur head, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, steroid myopathy. 6 patients were treated with cyclophosphamide, following severe complications secondary to steroid therapy, and all of them had a good clinical evolution.

[Classical panarteritis nodosa: a clearly defined entity. Analysis of 20 cases (author's transl)]. / La panarteritis nodosa clásica: una entidad claramente definida. Análisis de 20 casos.

The clinical, biological, and immunological alterations of 20 patients with histologically confirmed classical panarteritis nodosa have been studied. Characteristic angiographic changes were present in 14 cases. There were 14 males and six females, with a mean age of 50 years. The main clinical manifestations were: fever (90%), peripheral nervous system involvement (80%), renal involvement (65%), arterial hypertension (60%), arthropathy (80%), and cutaneous lesions (45%). In most cases there was elevated VSG and alpha 2-globulin, anemia and leukocytosis. HBsAg positivity was found in five patients. The immunological study revealed a polyclonal immunoglobulin increase, changes in the complement components, and a quantitative and qualitative decrease of T lymphocytes. Steroids and immunosuppressive treatment were given to eight patients, and steroids along to 11 patients. The clinical evolution of 17 patients was followed; four patients died, all of them belonging to the group treated with steroid alone.

[Fever of unknown origin. A study of 100 cases (author's transl)]. / Fiebre de origen desconocido. Análisis de 100 casos.

This report concerns the analysis of 100 cases of fever of unknown origin, defined according to the criteria of Petersdorf and Beeson. An etiological diagnosis could be reached in 77 cases, distributed as follows: infections, 32 cases; tumors, 14 cases; collagen diseases, 13 cases; various etiologies, 18 cases; and idiopathic, 23 cases of whom 20 had selflimited fever. There were 51 male and 49 female. The incidence of infectious diseases was significantly higher below age 40 when compared with the group of collagen diseases. Recurrent fever was common (43 cases) while continuous fever was unusual (3 cases). Recurrent fever was most frequent in neoplastic diseases, the difference in relation to the other groups being statistically significant (p less than 0.05). Chills, diffuse perspiration and myalgia were more frequent in infectious diseases (p less than 0.01) than in the other groups. Collagen diseases had significantly higher (p less than 0.05) white blood cell counts than neoplastic diseases, while the latter had significantly higher (p less than 0.01) serum lactic-dehydrogenase and alpha 2 globulin levels than infectious and collagen diseases. Hepatosplenomegaly was present more frequently in neoplastic than in infectious diseases. When evaluating diagnostic procedures it was noted that invasive techniques (arteriography, biopsy, laparoscopy, laparotomy) were essential to arrive to the final diagnosis in 47 cases, while noninvasive procedures (serological and immunological tests, bacteriology, conventional radiology, clinical course, and response to therapy) were sufficient in 22 cases. In eight cases the etiology of the fever could only be determined by post-mortem examination.