Radiographic features of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients infected by HIV: is there an objective indicator of co-infection?
Open Access
- 1 August 2001
- journal article
- research article
- Published by FapUNIFESP (SciELO) in Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
- Vol. 34 (4), 369-372
- https://doi.org/10.1590/s0037-86822001000400010
Abstract
This study aimed to compare the radiographic characteristics of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection with those of HIV-negative patients. In all, 275 TB patients attending the outpatients clinics at the University Hospital/UFPE, were studied from January 1997 to March 1999. Thirty nine (14.2%) of them were HIV+, with a higher frequency of males in this group (p=0.044). Seventy-five percent of the HIV+ patients and 19% of the HIV- had a negative tuberculin test (PPD) (p < 0.001). The proportion of positive sputum smears in the two groups was similar. The radiological finding most strongly associated with co-infection was absence of cavitation (p < 0.001). It may therefore be concluded that the lack of cavitation in patients with pulmonary TB may be considered a useful indicator of the need to investigate HIV infection. This approach could contribute to increasing the effectiveness of local health services, by offering appropriate treatment to co-infected patients.Keywords
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