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OBJECTIVE: To assess kinetic of cryptococci in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and outcome of AIDS-associated cyptococcal meningitis after high-dose amphotericin B. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study involving Thai adults (n=106) with cryptococcal meningitis associated with AIDS was conducted to determine the kinetic of cryptococci in CSF and prognostic factors affecting survival after high-dose amphotericin B (0.7 mg/kg/day) followed by oral azole treatment. Cerebrospinal fluids were collected for cryptococcal count and culture at weekly intervals for at least 2 weeks or until CSF cultures were negative for cryptococci. All patients were followed monthly for 1 year or until death in order to detect relapse or occurrence of any other opportunistic infection. RESULTS: A total of 106 AIDS patients with cryptococcal meningitis were enrolled. The geometric mean (range) total and viable cryptococcal counts in CSF on admission were 430,000 (1000 to 3.4 x 10(7)) and 31,000 (10 to 1.4 x 10(7)) per ml, respectively. Both total and viable cryptococcal counts declined monoexponentially with an elimination half life of 4 days. The cumulative CSF yeast clearance rates were 38% and 56% at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. Early death was associated significantly with previous history of weight loss [relative risk (RR)=2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-3.9], Glasgow Coma Score

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) -based antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens have been recommended and widely used in resource-limited settings because of their reliable effi cacy, low pill burden, and low cost. This study sought to determine outcomes and toxicities of NNRTI-based ART over a period of 208 weeks. A total of 244 HIV/AIDS Thai patients with a mean (±SD) age of 36 (±8.1) years initiated NNRTI-based ART in 2004. The median (inter-quartile range) baseline CD4 cell counts and HIV RNA levels were 34 (13-101) cells/mm3 and 5.4 (4.96-5.79) log copies/ml, respectively. At week 208, 84.6% of patients achieved HIV RNA loads

HIV-infected patients with active tuberculosis (TB) having CD4 counts100/mm3 and who were antiretroviral therapy (ART) naïve were reviewed retrospectively to determine the outcomes of their tuberculosis infection. All patients received ART at or after receiving anti-TB treatment. Clinical manifestations, treatment regimens and outcomes were analyzed. Of 101 patients, 62 (61.4%) completed TB treatment. Of these, 53.2% were treated with a 6-month standard TB regimen, while the rest were treated with prolonged TB regimens. The median interval between anti-TB treatment and ART was 68 days (range: 0-381). Among the clinically cured patients 66.1% received rifampin concomitantly with nevirapine, and 32.3% received rifampin concomitantly with efavirenz. The treatment success rate was 75.6%, with a mortality rate of 6.1%. The risk factors for death were resistant TB (p = 0.03) and poor compliance (p0.05). Seven point nine percent had multi-drug resistant TB. Possible or probable immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) was seen in 15 cases (14.9%). No life-threatening IRIS was reported, and it did not affect disease outcome (p = 0.5). A shorter time between anti-TB treatment and ART onset was associated with the occurrence of IRIS (31 days vs 90 days; p0.05). Regarding adverse drug effects, 44.6% had side effects due either to anti-TB drugs or ART. Sixty-six point one percent of them occurred within the first 2 months of TB treatment, and 43 (76.8%) had to stop or change either anti-TB treatment or ART. The mortality rate with TB and HIV on ART was low and the occurrence of IRIS did not carry any additional mortality.

To assess the efficacy and safety of generic fixed-dose combination of stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine; GPO-vir in advanced HIV infection.Open-label combined prospective and retrospective study involving 102 HIV infected patients with baseline CD4 cell count100 cells/mm3. All patients received GPO-vir for 48 weeks. The CD4 cell count and plasma viral load (pVL) was measured at 48 weeks.The median baseline CD4 cell count and pVL were 13 cells/mm3 and 363,500 copies/ml, respectively. At 48 weeks, the median CD4 cell count increased to 191 cells/mm3 and 63.7% in intention-to treat and 82.3% in on-treatment analysis had pVL50 copies/ml. There was no significant difference in pVL between patients with baseline pVL100,000 oror = 100,000 copies/ml (p = 0.312). The incidence of hepatotoxicity, rash and peripheral neuropathy was 4.9%, 14.7% and 6.9%, respectively.GPO-vir was well tolerated and effective in increasing CD4 cell count and suppressing plasma viremia in advanced HIV infection during the 48 weeks follow-up period.

A prospective study was conducted at Bamrasnaradura Hospital, Nonthaburi Province, Thailand from November 11, 2002 to January 5, 2003. A total of 59 HIV/AIDS patients with interstitial infiltrates on chest radiographs were included in the study. The objectives of this study were to describe the clinical manifestations and determine the etiologies of interstitial pneumonitis, assess the short-term outcomes and determine the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of the etiologies of interstitial pneumonitis in HIV/AIDS patients at Bamrasnaradura Hospital, Nonthaburi, Thailand. Tuberculosis was the most common diagnosis (44%), followed by Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (25.4%), bacterial pneumonia (20.3%) and fungal pneumonia (10.2%). In tuberculosis, compared to other diagnoses, a mild cough (p = 0.031), pallor (p = 0.021), lymphadenopathy (p0.001), absence of skin lesions (p = 0.003), higher mean body temperature (p = 0.004) and an absence of dyspnoea on exertion (p = 0.042) were significant findings. On multivariate analysis, however, only an absence of skin lesions (p = 0.023) remained a statistically significant predictor of TB. In Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia compared to other diagnoses, dyspnea on exertion (p = 0.014), non-purulent sputum production (p = 0.047), a higher mean respiratory rate (p0.001), absence of lymphadenopathy (p0.001) and lack of purulent sputum (p = 0.030) were significant factors. By multivariate analysis, only an absence of lymphadenopathy were shown to be independently and statistically significantly associated (p = 0.040). In bacterial pneumonia, compared to other diagnoses, production of purulent sputum (p = 0.014), hemoptysis (p = 0.006), pallor (p = 0), skin lesions (p = 0.002) and a severe cough (p = 0.020) were significantly associated factors. On multivariate analysis, none of these factors were statistically significant. In fungal pneumonia, compared to other diagnoses, headache and papulonecrotic skin lesions were common findings, but no factor had a significant association. After four weeks, 59.3% of the patients were alive, 13.6% died and 27.1% were lost to follow-up. Among the alive patients 88.6% had clinically improved. On multivariate analysis, no factor was shown to be a statistically significant predictor of death. The cumulative survival after 28 days was highest among PCP patients, followed by bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis and fungal pneumonia, but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.0453).

This prospective study was conducted at Bamrasnaradura Hospital from November 11, 2002, until January 5, 2003, in order to describe the clinical manifestations and determine the aetiologies as well as to assess the short-term outcome of interstitial pneumonitis in HIV/AIDS patients. 59 patients with interstitial infiltrates on chest radiographs were included in the study. Tuberculosis (TB) was the most common diagnosis (44%), followed by Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) (25.4%), bacterial pneumonia (20.3%) and fungal pneumonia (10.2%). In TB, compared to other diagnoses, a mild cough (p = 0.031), pallor (p = 0.021), lymphadenopathy (p < 0.001), an absence of skin lesions (p = 0.003), a higher mean body temperature (p = 0.004) and an absence of dyspnoea on exertion (p = 0.042) were significant findings. In PCP, compared to other diagnoses, dyspnoea on exertion (p = 0.014), nonpurulent sputum production (p = 0.047), a higher mean respiratory rate (p < 0.001), and an absence of lymphadenopathy (p < 0.001) were significant factors. In bacterial pneumonia, compared to other diagnoses, production of purulent sputum (p = 0.014), haemoptysis (p = 0.006), skin lesions (p = 0.002) and severe cough (p = 0.040) were significantly associated factors. In fungal pneumonia, compared to other diagnoses, headache and papulonecrotic skin lesions were common findings, but no factor showed a significant association. After four weeks, 59.3% patients were alive and 13.6% had died. Among those alive, 88.6% had clinically improved. The cumulative survival after 28 days was highest among PCP patients, followed by bacterial pneumonia, TB and fungal pneumonia, but these differences were statistically not significant (p = 0.453).

Delineating factors associated with extrapulmonary cryptococcosis (EPC), a major disease burden among Thailand's AIDS patients, can clarify its pathogenesis and guide preventive interventions. From November 1993 through June 1996, enhanced surveillance of 2261 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive patients in a hospital near Bangkok showed EPC among 561 of 1553 AIDS patients (36.1%). Univariate analysis results were confirmed by multivariate analyses of data on 1259 patients. Logistic regression models identified factors significantly associated with EPC to be male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-2.9), age33 years (aOR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2-1.9), severe immunosuppression (aOR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.6), not injecting drugs (aOR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.7-5.5), and infection with HIV-1 circulating from CRF01_AE (formerly subtype E) versus subtype B (aOR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2-4.5). The association with CRF01_AE may result from undetermined markers of exposure or viral subtype effects on host immune responses. Better understanding of the epidemiology of EPC may reduce EPC incidence through targeted primary prevention and treatment.

A one year retrospective study, was conducted at Bamrasnaradura Hospital, Nonthaburi Province, Bangkok, Thailand, of 271 subjects with both TB and HIV/AIDS. Single males (median age group 31 to 40 years) were most likely to develop co-infection. The commonest clinical manifestations on initial presentation included a low grade fever, cough, weight loss, lymphadenopathy with pancytopenia, and lung infiltrates. Multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) was found in 26.6% of the subjects which was significantly associated with a past history of anti-TB treatment (p = 0.005; OR=2.5); it was also significantly associated with disseminated TB (p = 0.022; OR=1.9) and mortality (p= 0.013; OR=2.8). Analysis of clinical outcomes showed that 46.7% were lost to follow-up and 13.3% had died by the time of follow-up. Among those who survived, only 11.4% had been successfully treated; the rest had not improved due to relapse (2.9%), therapeutic failure (8.8%), treatment in progress (5.9%), and failure to complete treatment (10.7%).

To characterize the clinical spectrum of disease and immune status of adult HIV-1-infected patients in Bangkok.Cross-sectional survey of hospital admissions.From November 1993 through June 1996, demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected from HIV-infected inpatients (or =14 years old) at an infectious diseases hospital.Of 16,717 persons admitted, 3112 (18.6%) were HIV-seropositive, 2261 of whom were admitted for the first time. Of 2261, 1926 (85.2%) were male, 1942 (85.9%) had been infected heterosexually or by means not related to drug use, 319 (14.1%) were injection drug users (IDUs), and 1553 (68.7%) had AIDS. The most common AIDS-defining conditions were extrapulmonary cryptococcosis (EPC; 38.4%), tuberculosis (TB; 37.4%), and wasting syndrome (WS; 8.1%). IDUs were more likely (p.05) to have TB or WS but less likely (p.05) to have EPC or Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia than patients with no history of injection drug use. Lymphocyte counts were measured for 2047 (90.5%) patients; 81.8% hador =1500 lymphocytes/microl.These HIV-infected patients were admitted with severe immunosuppression. Cryptococcosis and TB are major problems and differ in prevalence among IDUs and persons infected sexually. Clinical and immunologic information is critical in improving the lives of HIV-infected persons in Asia through prevention, treatment, and prophylaxis.

During December 1993-May 1995 in Thailand blood samples were taken from 4818 patients admitted to Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Hospital in the Bangkok suburb of Nonthaburi to screen for HIV antibodies using particle agglutination (PA) (SERODIA-HIV Fujirebio Inc. Tokyo Japan). Researchers aimed to evaluate the World Health Organization (WHO) HIV testing strategy II under field conditions by comparing the PA results with those of the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and the Western blot (WB). The HIV testing strategy II involves a second screening assay instead of the WB to confirm the results of samples reactive on the first screening test to determine HIV seropositivity in asymptomatic persons in areas with HIV prevalence greater than 10% and in persons with suspected HIV infection. PA detected 1173 (24.3%) HIV-positive specimens. All but 3 (99.7%) specimens were reactive by EIA. All but 1 of the 11730 (99.9%) EIA-reactive specimens were also reactive by WB. The 3 EIA-nonreactive specimens and the 1 EIA-reactive specimen were indeterminate by WB. PA alone had a positive predictive value of 99.7%. EIA as the supplemental test had a positive predictive value of 99.9%. These findings support the WHO alternative testing strategy II as a useful strategy for confirming HIV seropositivity among hospital patients with suspected HIV-related disease in Thailand. Studies of the sensitivity and the negative predictive value of the strategy are needed to determine its utility either to screen blood donors or to assess patients with possible HIV infection.