[Strategies for the Treatment of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in HIV-Positive Patients]

Study purpose According to the Robert Koch Institute, 84,700 people in Germany suffer from HIV infection. One-third of the affected persons is over 50 years old. In Germany, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a widespread disease with more than 250,000 cases per year. Incidence and mortality increase with the age of the affected individuals. For this reason, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are needed to guide medical care of HIV-infected patients presenting with CAP. Methodology HIV therapists were interviewed about their diagnostic approach, risk stratification strategy and therapeutic approach to HIV-associated community-acquired pneumonia (HIV⁺/CAP) using a questionnaire. 56 completed questionnaires were analysed. Results Half of the respondents reported that CAP occurred in 1 to 5 % of HIV-infected individuals per year. This indicates an estimated number of up to 4200 HIV⁺/CAP cases per year in Germany - a much higher number than expected from the literature. 58.9 % of respondents considered that the pathogenic spectrum did not differ in HIV⁺/CAP from non-HIV/CAP. 80.3 % of respondents applied the same antibiotic regimens in HIV⁺/CAP as used in patients with non-HIV/CAP. Conclusion Even though over 40 % of HIV therapists agree that the pathogenic spectrum of HIV⁺/CAP differs from that of non-HIV/CAP, over 80 % of therapists managed these patients in accordance with the S3-guidelines for non-immunocompromised CAP-patients, because specific guidelines for the treatment of HIV⁺/CAP are lacking. Since specific data on the aetiology and the clinical course of HIV⁺/CAP depending, for instance, on CD4-count and antiretroviral therapy are missing, we feel that the clinical course of HIV⁺/CAP should be further analysed in the context of prospective cohort studies.