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Abstract
Objective: In this study, epidemiological characteristics, clinical and laboratory findings of HIV/AIDS cases were analyzed.
Methods: Thirty-six cases with HIV/AIDS who applied to our department between 1999 and 2009 were examined retrospectively.
Results: Median age of our cases was 45.97±14.21 (7-74 years). During the median follow-up of 32.72±31.92 (4-132) months only three cases (8.3%) died. In most of the cases (38.8%), diagnosis was made at the time of routine blood tests. Sexual contact was the most common route of infection (83.3%) and transmission from infected mother-to-child was the second important route (5.5%). However, no transmission route was detected in 13.8% of patients. AIDS-indicator diseases according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were detected in 16 (44.4%) of our cases. Sixteen of our cases were in stage A, 4 cases were in stage B and 16 cases were in stage C. During the follow-up period, 8 (22.2%) of cases did not receive any antiretroviral therapy (ART); zidovudine + lamivudine + lopinavir/ritonavir (36%) and efavirenz + emtricitabine + tenofovir (22.2%) were the most preferred ART regimens. Tuberculosis was the most common opportunistic infection (30.5%). Lymphoma was the only AIDS-related malignancy.
Conclusions: The main transmission route of HIV/AIDS was sexual contact in our cases. Unfortunately, diagnosis was made incidentally at an advanced stage in these patients. For this reason, public awareness of transmission routes and prevention of HIV/AIDS is the important issue. As seen in our study, tuberculosis is one of the most common AIDS-related opportunistic infections and, in addition to ART, prophylaxis/treatment of these infections seems to have a significant influence on the outcomes.