Bronchiectasis in patients infected with HIV.

Between July 1995 and July 1997 we diagnosed bronchiectasis confirmed by CT scan chest in 25 (18 men and 7 women) out of 295 hospitalised patients wit h HIV infection who suffered from lower respiratory infection. Median age a t time of diagnosis of bronchiectasis was 32 years old. The patients were m ostly intravenous drug addicts. In all cases a previous pulmonary infection was revealed (Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, tuberculosis, recurrent pneu monia) with impairment of immune status (CD4 media = 64.8 mm(3)). Presence of persistent or intermittent cough with purulent sputum, repeated low resp iratory infection and abnormal chest radiograph were correlated to bronchie ctasis by chest CT scan. We conclude, that there is a significant occurrenc e of bronchiectasis in patients with HIV infections and pulmonary disease, thus increasing morbidity and mortality in these patients and being the cau se of repeated hospitalisations due to bacterial respiratory infections.