AIDS prodrome in an apparently normal man following coronary artery bypass: new significance of postoperative bleeding.

An otherwise healthy, apparently normal 45-year-old man underwent a triple coronary artery bypass procedure, complicated only by modest postoperative bleeding. He had received aspirin and dipyridamole preoperatively, and was given 1 unit of packed red cells and 4 units of fresh frozen plasma on the day of operation. Fifteen months later, malaise and diffuse lymphadenopathy developed. Lymph node biopsy and immune studies were characteristic of the AIDS prodrome. This experience emphasizes the need for control of bleeding and the avoidance of blood products wherever possible.