Many Physicians Fail to Recognize Symptoms in HIV-Infected Patients

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Many Physicians Fail to Recognize Symptoms in HIV-Infected Patients

Reuters Health Information Services (10/19/99)

French researchers performed a cross-sectional survey of 290 HIV-infected patients to compare reported symptoms with the treatments prescribed. The study, published in the October issue of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, determined that physicians treating HIV patients need to be better at identifying patients' symptoms. Often, the doctors paid attention only to measurable physical symptoms such as fever or weight loss, granting more attention when the patient became sicker. The scientists also noted poor physician recognition rates for symptoms associated with treatment side effects and for symptoms of treatable conditions, including sleep problems and diarrhea.

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