HIV infection in critically ill obstetrical patients

Objectives: The effect of HIV-infection on the clinical course of critically ill obstetrical patients by means of a case-control study was evaluated. Methods: Over one calendar year 440 patients were admitted to a high risk obstetrical unit. All patients were tested for HIV-infection. HIV-positive patients were included in the study group and two HIV-negative patients for every HIV-positive patient were included in the control group. Results: No differences were found between the two groups regarding demographic data, diagnosis, antibiotic use, mode of delivery, duration of hospital stay and mortality. More complications occurred in the HIV-negative group. Eclampsia recorded for the HIV-negative group was 17.1% and 4.7% for the HIV-positive group (P = 0.04; 95% CI: - 17.1%; -0.9%) and lung edema was 18.2% and 6.2%, respectively (P=0.01; 95% CI: -19.3%; -3.5%). The median CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly lower in the HIV-positive group (0.43) than the HIV-negative group (1.37) (P<0.01; 95% CI: -1.04; -0.79). Conclusions: HIV-infection did not significantly alter the clinical course of critically ill patients in an obstetrical high care unit. (C) 2002 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.