OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between clinical and autopsy findings in 250 AIDS patients. METHODS: Clinical and autopsy diagnoses of AIDS-defining diseases in 250 AIDS patients who died in Milan between May 1984 and February 1991 were compared. RESULTS: Pneumocystis carinii (PCP) and oesophageal candidiasis were the most frequent clinical diagnoses, while cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was observed in almost half of the autopsies. Forty-seven per cent of the diseases found at autopsy had not been diagnosed during life; CMV infection, mycoses, HIV-specific brain lesions, cerebral lymphomas and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) had a higher rate of non-diagnosis in life. CMV visceral infection accounted for the majority of the diseases not recognized in life. In contrast, clinically diagnosed PCP, oesophageal candidiasis and, to a lesser degree, brain toxoplasmosis were often not found at autopsy, possibly indicating a significant rate of recovery and prevention of relapse. Finally, bacterial pneumonia and sepsis, although not AIDS indicator diseases, were observed in approximately one-third of the autopsies. CONCLUSION: Considerable differences in the frequency and type of the AIDS-defining diseases diagnosed during life and at post mortem were found.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between clinical and autopsy findings in 250 AIDSpatients. METHODS: Clinical and autopsy diagnoses of AIDS-defining diseases in 250 AIDSpatients who died in Milan between May 1984 and February 1991 were compared. RESULTS:Pneumocystis carinii (PCP) and oesophageal candidiasis were the most frequent clinical diagnoses, while cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was observed in almost half of the autopsies. Forty-seven per cent of the diseases found at autopsy had not been diagnosed during life; CMV infection, mycoses, HIV-specific brain lesions, cerebral lymphomas and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) had a higher rate of non-diagnosis in life. CMV visceral infection accounted for the majority of the diseases not recognized in life. In contrast, clinically diagnosed PCP, oesophageal candidiasis and, to a lesser degree, brain toxoplasmosis were often not found at autopsy, possibly indicating a significant rate of recovery and prevention of relapse. Finally, bacterial pneumonia and sepsis, although not AIDS indicator diseases, were observed in approximately one-third of the autopsies. CONCLUSION: Considerable differences in the frequency and type of the AIDS-defining diseases diagnosed during life and at post mortem were found.
Authors: Dominique Eza; Gustavo Cerrillo; David A J Moore; Cecilia Castro; Eduardo Ticona; Domingo Morales; Jose Cabanillas; Fernando Barrantes; Alejandro Alfaro; Alejandro Benavides; Arturo Rafael; Gilberto Valladares; Fernando Arevalo; Carlton A Evans; Robert H Gilman Journal: Pathol Res Pract Date: 2006-09-19 Impact factor: 3.250
Authors: B Bek; M Boeckh; J Lepenies; B Bieniek; K Arasteh; W Heise; K M Deppermann; G Bornhöft; M Stöffler-Meilicke; I Schuller; G Höffken Journal: J Clin Microbiol Date: 1996-02 Impact factor: 5.948
Authors: R Boldorini; P Viganò; G Monga; M Nebuloni; A Cargnel; G Gubertini; G Migliaretti; G Costanzi Journal: J Clin Pathol Date: 1997-09 Impact factor: 3.411