VARIATION OF CHEST RADIOGRAPHIC PATTERNS IN PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS BYDEGREE OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-RELATED IMMUNOSUPPRESSION

Our aim was to evaluate the effect of human immunodeficiency virus (HI V) disease stage on chest radiographic (CXR) findings among patients w ith HIV-related pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), Data are from a prospecti ve multicenter treatment trial for HIV-related TB, Baseline CXR findin gs and CD4(+) lymphocyte counts were compared among patients with HIV- related TB, Data from published studies describing CXR findings in HIV -infected patients were reviewed and a pooled-data analysis was conduc ted, Of 135 patients with culture-confirmed HIV-related TB, 128 had bo th CXR and CD4(+) lymphocyte data, CD4(+) lymphocyte counts of <200/mm (3) (n = 98) were significantly associated with hilar/mediastinal aden opathy on CXR (30%, vs. 7% with counts greater than or equal to 200/mm (3); P = .01); counts of greater than or equal to 200/mm(3) (n = 30) m ore frequently were associated with cavitation (20% vs. 7%; P = .08), Analyses of these results, pooled with other published data, confirmed these findings, This study demonstrates associations of certain CXR f indings with HIV disease stage, Knowledge of the degree of immunosuppr ession is important when evaluating CXR findings in HIV-infected patie nts.