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Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in patients with HIV positivity and AIDS: a prospective controlled study
S S Lu1, J M Schwartz, D M Simon
1Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
Objective:
To compare the clinical manifestations and therapeutic responses of Clostridium difficile infection in HIV-infected and noninfected individuals.
Methods:
Patients were identified for this study if they had C. difficile toxin in the stool. The patients were then followed prospectively by the investigators. All patients were treated with a standard regimen, and clinical and laboratory findings were recorded. Persistence and resolution or recurrence of symptoms and complications were recorded.
Results:
A total of 87 patients were studied, of which 12 were HIV positive, 20 had AIDS, and 55 had no known HIV infection. The AIDS group was younger and had a lower total leukocyte count than the controls. There were no statistically significant differences in temperature, leukocytosis, clinical symptoms, therapeutic response, or recurrence or persistent of symptoms.
Conclusions:
Despite the immunosuppression of HIV infection, C. difficile infection behaves no differently in HIV/AIDS patients than it does in controls.