Related Experiment Videos
Spectrum of liver diseases in HIV infection
P M Rathi1, D N Amarapurkar, N E Borges
1Department of Gastroenterology, T N Medical College, Mumbai.
Background:
Most earlier reports on the spectrum of liver diseases in HIV-infected individuals originated from the West.
Objective:
To study the spectrum of liver diseases in HIV-infected individuals.
Methods:
Seventy four consecutive HIV-positive patients (57 men; age range 23-75 years, mean 34) were studied prospectively with clinical evaluation, liver function tests, ultrasonography, radioisotope liver scan, markers of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses, and liver histology whenever necessary.
Results:
Thirty four patients (45%) were chronic alcoholics. Mean (SD) absolute lymphocyte count was 2521 (1271)/mm3; count < 2000/ mm3 was present in 20 patients. Serum bilirubin, transaminases and alkaline phosphatase levels were elevated in 13%, 13% and 24% of patients, respectively. Ultrasonography detected an abscess in two patients (tuberculous-1, amebic-1). Evidence of exposure to HBV was present in 81% (HBsAg-12, hepatitis B core and/or surface antibody-48); anti-HCV antibody was positive in 29.7%. Five patients with liver tuberculosis (granuloma-4, abscess-1) had AFB either in liver tissue or lymph nodes.
Conclusion:
Chronic alcoholism, HBV and HCV infection, hepatic tuberculosis, and evidence of other liver disease were common in patients with HIV infection.