A simple clinical staging system that predicts progression to AIDS using CD4 count, oral thrush, and night sweats.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a simple clinical staging system based on CD4 count and clinical variables that predicts progression to AIDS in HIV-infected non-AIDS patients.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

A primary care outpatient clinic for HIV-infected patients at a VA Medical Center.

PATIENTS

One hundred seventy-six HIV-infected non-AIDS patients seen at the Houston VA Special Medicine Clinic between January 1986 and December 1990 and followed for a mean of 22 months. Fifty-four patients (31%) progressed to AIDS during follow-up.

MEASUREMENTS

The medical records were reviewed, and data corresponding to the initial (baseline) clinic visit and subsequent six-month visits were extracted.

MAIN RESULTS

"Predictive" baseline variables (i.e., those associated with progression to AIDS) were first identified and then examined in Cox proportional hazards modeling. In the final model, CD4 category, oral thrush, and night sweats made significant independent contributions. A three-stage prognostic system was constructed by assigning points to the three variables: CD4 > 500 cells/mm3 = 0; 500 > or = CD4 > or = 200 = 1; CD4 < 200 = 2; presence of oral thrush = 1; presence of night sweats = 1. Stages were assigned as follows: stage I = 0 points, stage II = 1-2 points, and stage III = 3-4 points. The proportions of patients who progressed to AIDS were: stage I, 6/39 (15%); stage II, 31/106 (29%); and stage III, 17/31 (55%).

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrate that simple, clinically sensible prognostic staging systems that predict progression to AIDS can be constructed using CD4 count and clinical variables.