USEFULNESS OF BONE-MARROW EXAMINATION IN THE EVALUATION OF UNEXPLAINED FEVERS IN PATIENTS INFECTED WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS

The diagnostic usefulness of 69 bone marrow examinations (BMEs) perfor med for evaluating unexplained fever in 65 persons who were infected w ith human immunodeficiency virus was retrospectively compared with the usefulness of other diagnostic modalities used to investigate the cau se of fever. An etiology for the fever was identified by BME in 22 of the 69 cases (diagnostic yield, 32%). In 19 of these 22 cases, the sam e diagnosis had been made by another diagnostic modality, but the diag nosis was made by BME as rapidly or sooner in 10 of the 19 cases and w as made exclusively by BME in the three other cases. We suggest that B ME is indicated when a diagnosis is urgently sought or when an evaluat ion with other diagnostic modalities has been unsuccessful.