Initial Presentation of HIV Infection With Two Successive Acute Arterial Thromboses: A Case Report

One of the complications of HIV infection is greater risk of thromboembolic events. A variety of mechanisms has been found to be responsible for prothrombotic tendency in patients with HIV infection.

A 27-year-old heterosexual smoker man was referred to our center due to a sudden-onset severe left lower extremity pain and claudication since three days prior to admission. In physical examination, end extremity coldness and discoloration as well as left lower extremity pulselessness were found. Color-Doppler sonography revealed a large thrombus in the left common iliac artery and two thrombi in the distal halves of both anterior and posterior tibialis arteries, so the patient was transferred to the operating room for proximal thrombectomy where the blood flow was reestablished and all pulses were then detectable. Two days later, the patient developed another similar episode from knee down and underwent the second thrombectomy. In evaluation, HIV Ab had positive result by ELISA.

This case inspires consideration of HIV infection as a leading cause of thromboembolic event in individuals affected by the first episode of unprovoked one in whom diagnosis of HIV infection has not been established yet.