The pattern of chest radiographic findings in immunocompromised patients at the Kenyatta national hospital

Abstract

The pattern of chest radiograph findings were studied in 280 HIV positive individuals. These were compared to 40 HIV negative patients who acted as controls. The commonest disease seen was pneumonia 94 (33.9%), followed by pulmonary tuberculosis 89 (3l.7%). Mixed infections were seen in 34 (12.2%) cases while PCP occurred in 16(5.6%) cases. The pneumonia seen was more of bronchopneumonia than lobar pneumonia in-patients with HIV (33.9) than HIV negative patients (23%). The cases of pulmonary tuberculosis seen showed less upper lobe distribution than in HIV negative patients. Most of the cases showed mid and lower zone distribution. There are less cavitations than HIV negative patients. Also more cases with hilar and mediastinal nodes were seen. There were 34 (12.2%) cases of mixed infection, which constituted of 3 (1.1 %) cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. These mainly presented with hilar and mediastinal nodes. The clinical differentiating features were KS skin nodules in-patients with pulmonary K.S.