Correlation between Abdominal Ultrasonographic Findings and CD4 Cell Count in Adult Patients with HIV/AIDS in Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV) resulting in progressive destruction of cell mediated immunity. The abdominal manifestations of AIDS are related to the level of CD⁺<sub style="margin-left:-6px;">4</sub> cells count as well as viral load. Abdominal ultrasound examination is easy to perform, non-invasive, inexpensive, readily available and reproducible investigation which provides valuable information about abdominal findings in AIDS. The objective of the study was to evaluate abdominal ultrasound findings in adult HIV/AIDS patients in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria and correlate these findings with the patients’ CD⁺<sub style="margin-left:-6px;">4</sub> counts. A cross-sectional study of abdominal ultrasound findings of adult patients with HIV/AIDS was conducted over a period of six months. The abdominal ultrasound findings and CD⁺<sub style="margin-left:-6px;">4</sub> counts were studied. Two hundred (40%) of the patients had normal abdominal ultrasound, while 60% (300) had various abnormalities. The common abnormalities included increased liver parenchymal echogenicity in 25.0%, hepatomegaly in 23.4%, splenomegaly in 6.6%, increased splenic echogenicity in 6.2% and thickened gallbladder wall in 12.6%, elevated renal parenchymal echogenicity in 6.4%, enlarged kidneys in 2.6%, lymphadenopathy in 6.0%, and ascites in 2.4%. Pelvic abscess was the least pathology in 0.2%. Most of the findings did not correlate with the patients’ CD⁺<sub style="margin-left:-6px;">4</sub> count except for lymphadenopathy and ascites. Although abdominal ultrasound examination is invaluable in the management of these patients, however, it has not shown to be useful in predicting the patients’ immune status.