CROHNS-DISEASE STABLE REMISSION AFTER HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTION

We retrospectively assessed the clinical course in four patients with long-standing Crohn's disease who became infected with human immunodef iciency virus (HIV), The duration of active Crohn's disease was 21, 10 , 4, and 4 years in our four patients, They experienced a stable remis sion of Crohn's disease symptoms after HIV infection, In three patient s Crohn's disease was in stable remission for 5, 8, and 8 years after HIV infection and all three died from acquired immunodeficiency syndro me-related disease. One patient was still alive without recurrence of Crohn's disease symptoms 7 years following HIV detection, Our observat ions of a spontaneous improvement in the clinical course of Crohn's di sease after HIV infection, suggests that the integrity of the immune r esponse, especially that of CD4 T cells, plays a major role in the tis sue injury mechanism in Crohn's disease.