SURVIVAL OF AIDS PATIENTS WITH CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS

Cryptosporidiosis is a potentially life-threatening complication of ad vanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. To ascertain whethe r cryptosporidiosis is associated with decreased survival in this popu lation, we performed a retrospective case-control study at four teachi ng hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio. The period of observation extended fr om January 1986 to December 1995, Thirty-nine HIV-infected patients wi th cryptosporidiosis were compared with HIV-infected patients without cryptosporidiosis (53 matched on CD4 counts and 40 matched on the pres ence of chronic diarrhea), Survival in the cryptosporidiosis group (16 4 days) was shorter (P = .004) than survival for controls (437 days an d 485 days, respectively), After diagnosis of Cryptosporidium parvum i nfection, patients spent 21% of their survival days in the hospital, c ompared with 7% and 8% for controls (P < .001), Cryptosporidiosis is a ssociated with decreased patient survival and prolonged hospitalizatio n.