ISSN:
1432-1440
Keywords:
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
;
Natural history
;
Survival
;
Classification system
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract The clinical history of 1538 HIV positive patients was analyzed on the basis of the new CDC classification system of HIV disease and AIDS. This classification system combines three CD4 cell categories (1, 2, and 3) with three clinical categories (A, B, and C) into nine subgroups AI–C3. We examined the overall survival for all subgroups and the AIDS-free survival for subgroups Al–B3. AIDS-free survival for patients in subgroups Al, A2, and B1 was considerably longer than survival in patients from subgroups A3, B2, and B3 (P 〈 0.0001). According to these findings, the new CDC classification system could be simplified into three stages, stage I and II comprising the above mentioned six subgroups, and stage III comprising clinical AIDS defining categories C1, C2, and C3. These three stages correspond to different periods in the management of HIV positive patients, i.e., period of observation, period of prophylaxis, and period of treatment.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00180041
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