Aspetti radiologici della tubercolosi nei soggetti HIV positivi correlazione con il livello di linfociti T-CD4+

Objectives and methods: Chest X-ray remains a useful tool in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis that is extremely frequent in HIV- infected patients. The chest roentgenographic manifestations of pulmonary tuberculosis, occasionally different in HIV-positive and HIV-negative subjects, correlate with the degree of HIV-induced immunosuppression. A retrospective analysis of our Hospital situation, relative to the period between 1990-1997, has been conducted to evaluate our situation. Results: Thirty-one adult subjects were diagnosed with pulmonary TB, of these 25 were qualified for the study. Patients were assigned to one of the three groups- a) pattern of primary infection, b) typical post-primary tuberculosis, c) atypical pattern. 19 subjects (76%) had an absolute CD4+ T-lymphocyte count less than 200 cell/μL and 6 (24%) subjects had an absolute CD4+ T- lymphocyte count higher than 200/μL. An absolute CD4⁺ T-lymphocyte count lower than 200 cell/μL was significantly associated to an atypical pattern (p