Abdominal Ultrasonography Findings Correlated With Cd4 Counts in Adult Hiv Infected Patients

Abstract

BACKGROUNDThe frequency of abdominal disorders in HIV/ AIDS patients is second only to pulmonary diseases. The degree of immunodeficiency is related to the level of CD4+ counts, which is a good index for monitoring the disease progression. It is expected that as the immune status decreases, susceptibility to infection and consequently abnormal sonographic findings should increase.The aim of the study was to perform abdominal ultrasonography in adult HIV-infected patients and correlate these findings with CD4 counts of these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS100 adult HIV infected patients were scanned with abdominal ultrasonography and the findings were documented and correlated with their CD4+ counts. Statistical Analysis Used-Data analysis was done using SPSS 21.0. Two-tailed 'p' values < 0.05 were considered significant. Settings and Design-This was a prospective cross-sectional study using sample size of 100 HIV infected patients, conducted at the Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Gandhi Medical College and Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal from March 2015 to September 2016. RESULTSSplenomegaly, splenic granuloma, focal hypoechoic liver lesions, renomegaly, lymphadenopathy and ascites showed significant correlation with CD4 counts. Incidence of increased renal echogenicity, bowel thickening and hepatomegaly was higher in low CD4 classes, but no statistically significant correlation was found. CONCLUSIONAbdominal ultrasonography is an excellent and sensitive modality for routine screening of HIV infected patients and focussed assessment in lower CD4 classes and help in early detection of both infective and neoplastic aetiologies. It can also help in guided FNAC/ Biopsies in suspected cases of neoplasms.