HIV - Late clinical manifestations, slim disease and other problems

Weight loss is very frequent. It occurs in more than 90% of patients and can be very substantial ("slim disease"). It is probably multifactorial: hypermetabolic patients with various infections, cytokine mediated effects, direct effects of HIV itself, malabsorption, anorexia, etc. Many patients die of extreme cachexia. In many cases tuberculosis is found in unusual sites upon autopsy. Many patients develop lymphadenopathy in the course of their illness. Tuberculosis should be excluded in cases of seriously enlarged (> 4 cm) or asymmetrically enlarged lymph nodes (lymph node aspirate with Ziehl staining). Syphilis, toxoplasmosis and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma can also cause lymph node swelling.

Category: Medical Subject Notes , Medicine Notes