[Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in the province of Cádiz. A study of 269 consecutive patients].

BACKGROUND

The epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations and survival were analyzed in 269 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) diagnosed in the province of Cadiz up to June 1970.

METHODS

A multicenter protocol study including the 7 hospitals attending practically all of the population of the area of Cadiz was carried out. The diagnosis of AIDS was performed according to the 1987 CDC criteria. The Kaplan and Meier actuarial method was used for the survival study.

RESULTS

The prevalence was of 10 cases in 1986, 37 in 1987, 61 in 1988, 121 in 1989 and 40 during the first 5 months of 1990. Males dominated (84%) and mean age was of 28.6 years. The predominant risk factor was parenteral drug abuse (84%) with signs of social unacceptance (unemployment 70% and with prison records 68%). Thirty eight percent of the patients were no longer drug addicts at the time of diagnosis. The number of cases of women who acquired the disease through heterosexual transmission has increased over the last 2 years (13 cases). Opportunistic infections made up 93% of the diagnostic criteria with esophageal candidiasis (EC) (45%) and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (ET) (34%) being the most frequent. The probability of survival was 14% at 35 months. When ET was the exclusive diagnostic criteria, survival was higher (30% vs 9%) and the mean of T4 lymphocytes in this group was higher (228 vs 154), all being statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

AIDS is a serious, progressive problem of the Public Health Department in the province of Cadiz and predominantly affects parenteral drug addicts with a percentage higher than other Spanish series in socially unaccepted people. The increase in the cases of women with AIDS from heterosexual transmission is worrisome. EC and ET are the most verified diagnostic criteria. The prognosis of AIDS remains bad at short term, with survival being greater in those patients with ET as the exclusive criteria due to lesser cellular immunodeficiency.