OBJECTIVES: We compared clinical long-term course and outcome in all AIDS patients admitted to our outpatient department from January, 1989 to June, 1998 with toxoplasma encephalitis (TE) as first AIDS-defining infection (n= 106) and in 106 patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) as first AIDS-defining disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The 2 groups were matched with respect to age, sex, risk group, degree of immunodeficiency as measured by CD4 cell counts and duration of HIV-1-positivity. TE was diagnosed radiologically and by response to treatment. RESULTS: Forty-three TE patients surviving the first TE symptoms > 14 months developed dementive symptoms, leucoencephalopathy in imaging procedures and died from dementia. In contrast only 5 patients surviving PCP for an equally long period showed dementive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Cerebral infections like toxoplasma encephalitis (TE) may negatively influence HIV-1-activity so far latent in the brain.
OBJECTIVES: We compared clinical long-term course and outcome in all AIDSpatients admitted to our outpatient department from January, 1989 to June, 1998 with toxoplasma encephalitis (TE) as first AIDS-defining infection (n= 106) and in 106 patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) as first AIDS-defining disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The 2 groups were matched with respect to age, sex, risk group, degree of immunodeficiency as measured by CD4 cell counts and duration of HIV-1-positivity. TE was diagnosed radiologically and by response to treatment. RESULTS: Forty-three TE patients surviving the first TE symptoms > 14 months developed dementive symptoms, leucoencephalopathy in imaging procedures and died from dementia. In contrast only 5 patients surviving PCP for an equally long period showed dementive symptoms. CONCLUSION:Cerebral infections like toxoplasma encephalitis (TE) may negatively influence HIV-1-activity so far latent in the brain.
Authors: C M Marra; R Deutsch; A C Collier; S Morgello; S Letendre; D Clifford; B Gelman; J McArthur; J A McCutchan; D M Simpson; N A Duarte; R K Heaton; I Grant Journal: Int J STD AIDS Date: 2013-06-14 Impact factor: 1.359