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[AIDS in children. Experience at the National Institute of Pediatrics]
O I Desinor-Mompoint1, N González-Saldaña, G Palacios-Saucedo
1Servicio de Infectología, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, México, D.F., México.
Insights
This study reviewed 44 pediatric AIDS cases in Mexico City, finding chronic diarrhea and lymphadenopathy common. Over 45% of children died, with autopsy revealing severe thymic atrophy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
- Epidemiology
Context:
- Retrospective analysis of 44 pediatric Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) cases at a tertiary care children's hospital in Mexico City.
- Data collected from January 1987 to October 1991.
- Inclusion criteria: two positive ELISA tests and one positive Western Blot test for HIV.
Purpose:
- To describe the clinical experience and outcomes of pediatric AIDS cases.
- To identify common clinical manifestations and transmission routes.
- To analyze factors influencing survival rates.
Summary:
- Perinatal transmission accounted for 75% of cases, while 25% resulted from blood transfusions.
- The most frequent clinical findings included chronic diarrhea (77%), lymphadenopathy (75%), hepatomegaly/splenomegaly (70%), and oral candidiasis (61%).
- Forty-five percent of patients died; autopsy in 14 cases showed significant lymphoid tissue depletion and thymic atrophy.
Impact:
- Highlights the significant burden of pediatric AIDS in the studied population during the specified period.
- Underscores the importance of understanding transmission routes and clinical presentations for early diagnosis and management.
- Provides pathological insights into the severe immunodeficiency characteristic of pediatric AIDS.
Abstract:
We describe retrospectively the experience with 44 cases of AIDS from January 1987 to October 1991 at the Instituto Nacional de Pediatria, a tertiary care children hospital in Mexico City. All patients with 2 ELISA and a positive Western Blot test were included. Thirty three patients were infected perinatally (75%) and 11 through blood transfusion (25%). Fourty one patients belonged to the P2 classification of the Centers for Disease Control. Chronic diarrhea (77%), lymphadenopathy (75%), hepatomegaly/splenomegaly (70%) and oral candidiasis (61%) were the most common clinical findings. Twenty patients died (45.4%). No statistical relation were found between survival rate and the way of transmission and age at onset. Autopsy was performed in 14 patients and revealed a sharp decrease of lymphoid tissue at all levels with severe thymic atrophy.