Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected Patients with Liver Abscess: A Retrospective Study of 53 Patients

Abstract

Background: Although episodes of liver abscess (LA) have been reported in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), specific symptoms in these patients remain unclear. Material/Methods: The clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, treatments, and final clinical outcomes of LA in 53 HIV-infected patients were analyzed. Results: The most common clinical manifestations were fever (92.5%), chills (41.5%), and abdominal pain (37.7%). The mean CD4(+) T cell count in these HIV-infected patients at admission was 328.09 +/- 236.192 cells/mu L. LA and blood cultures were positive in six (17.6%) and two (5.4%) patients, respectively. Thirteen strains of pathogens, including Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, and Candida, were detected in LA cultures. Forty-four (95.7%) of 46 patients were successfully treated with antibiotics plus image-guided percutaneous aspiration, drainage, or surgery, whereas four (57.1%) of the remaining seven patients were successfully treated with antibiotics alone. Septic shock [odds ratio (OR)=8.970; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.840-92.110; p=0.014] and ascites (OR=7.057; 95% CI=0.683-72.957; p=0.016) were found to be independent risk factors for poor prognosis. The clinical characteristics of LA in HIV-infected patients were nonspecific, with bacteria being the primary pathogens. Conclusions: Antibiotics plus image-guided percutaneous drainage can effectively improve treatment outcomes in HIV-infected patients with LA.