Abdominal CT features and survival in acquired immunodeficiency.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Abdominal CT features and survival in acquired immunodeficiency.

Acta Radiol. 1997 Nov;38(6):970-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/98056633
Knollmann FD; Maurer J; Grunewald T; Schedel H; Vogl TJ; Pohle HD; Felix R; Department of Radiology, Virchow Hospital, Faculty of Medicine,; Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany.

Abstract: PURPOSE: HIV-infected patients show a high incidence of abdominal disease. This investigation was made to determine whether abdominal CT provided prognostically relevant information in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Images from 533 abdominal CT examinations in 339 HIV-infected patients were retrospectively reviewed for signs of abdominal disease, and correlated with clinical data and survival rates. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and rank testing of survival, and proportional hazards regression were used to define prognostic clinical and imaging findings. RESULTS: Of the 339 patients, 278 (82%) showed abnormal abdominal findings on CT. Median survival was 29 months. Of the imaging findings, hepatic masses (n = 11), pathologically enlarged lymph nodes (n = 48), and ascites (n = 7) were associated with poor survival, giving a median survival of respectively 13 months, 15 months, and less than 1 month. These three features showed no association with CD4(+)-T-lymphocyte count or CDC category. Main determinants of survival were a low CD4(+)-T-lymphocyte count, and certain abnormal CT findings. Splenomegaly (n = 147), hepatomegaly (n = 144), and lymphadenopathy (n = 111) were the most common abdominal findings on CT but lacked prognostic relevance. CONCLUSION: Abdominal CT offered prognostic implications in HIV-infected patients and might serve in risk stratification in selected patients. CT features such as hepatic masses, grossly enlarged lymph nodes, or ascites indicate advanced immunosuppression.

Keywords: *Radiography, Abdominal *Tomography, X-Ray Computed
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