Vasculitis in the course of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Vasculitis is among the dysimmunity-mediated disorders seen in patients inf ected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Several cases have been reported. The central and peripheral nervous systems were the main targets, although many other organs may be involved, There were wide variations in clinical presentation, clinico-pathologic patterns, and the stage of the HI V infection at vasculitis onset. Causes included drugs and infections, part icularly some opportunistic infections. Tn some cases, the vasculitis seeme d to be directly due to the HIV. The etiopathogenesis remains unclear and t he treatment unstandardized. Four cases of systemic vasculitis in HIV-infec ted patients are reported herein. All four patients received the treatment recommended for hepatitis B virus-related polyarteritis nodosa, namely plas ma exchange and antiretroviral drugs.