Cheung TW, Weg I; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1989 Jun 4-9; 5: 254 (abstract no. M.B.P.198).
Queens Hospital Center, Affiliation of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Jamaica, NY 11432, USA
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between AF and HIV infection among young patients. METHODS: Queens Hospital Center is a 600-bed hospital serving patients from disadvantaged backgrounds. The charts of all patients aged 18 to 55 with an accidental fall were reviewed. RESULTS: Between 1/87 and 6/87, there were 36 AF reported among 29 such patients. Sixteen patients (55.2%) had risk factors related to HIV infection: 13 (44.8%) were reported to have been intravenous drug abusers, one came from Haiti, one was homosexual and one frequented prostitutes. HIV antibody were performed on 13 patients; all were positive. Eleven (30.6%) presented with first clinical manifestation of AIDS. The opportunistic infections included Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia(7), esophageal candidiasis(4), CNS toxoplasmosis(1), extrapulmonary tuberculosis (1), cryptococcal meningitis and pneumonia(1). Fourteen (87.5%) of these patients were initially noted to have a normal neurological examination. Neurological deficits were noted later in 5 patients around the time of the falls. Twelve events were related to either febrile and septic episodes. Patients with AIDS were noted usually to have more than one fall. Eight patients (28%) died within one month of the fall. CONCLUSION: There is a high incidence of HIV infection among young adults with AF. An accidental fall may be an early sign of an ominous event and may suggest a poor prognosis in these patients.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Adult
- Candidiasis
- Communicable Diseases
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Haiti
- Hospitals, Urban
- Humans
- Incidence
- Infection
- Meningitis, Cryptococcal
- Opportunistic Infections
- Pneumonia, Pneumocystis
- Risk Factors
- Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral
Other ID:
UI: 102177052
From Meeting Abstracts