Related Experiment Videos
HIV infection in critically ill obstetrical patients
M R de Groot1, L J Corporaal, H S Cronjé
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Objectives:
The effect of HIV-infection on the clinical course of critically ill obstetrical patients by means of a case-control study was evaluated.
Methods:
Over one calendar year 440 patients were admitted to a high risk obstetrical unit. All patients were tested for HIV-infection. HIV-positive patients were included in the study group and two HIV-negative patients for every HIV-positive patient were included in the control group.
Results:
No differences were found between the two groups regarding demographic data, diagnosis, antibiotic use, mode of delivery, duration of hospital stay and mortality. More complications occurred in the HIV-negative group. Eclampsia recorded for the HIV-negative group was 17.1% and 4.7% for the HIV-positive group (P=0.04; 95% CI: -17.1%; -0.9%) and lung edema was 18.2% and 6.2%, respectively (P=0.01; 95% CI: -19.3%; -3.5%). The median CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly lower in the HIV-positive group (0.43) than the HIV-negative group (1.37) (P<0.01; 95% CI: -1.04; -0.79).
Conclusions:
HIV-infection did not significantly alter the clinical course of critically ill patients in an obstetrical high care unit.