Features of the clinical course of the new coronavirus infection in HIV-infected patients
Authors: Azovtseva O. V. , Tkachenko T. N. , Kurbatova E. A. 
Published: September 2024

The aim. To study the features of the clinical course of a new coronavirus infection in patients infected with HIV.

Materials and methods. The study included patients with HIV infection who received inpatient care for a new coronavirus infection (n=118). The diagnosis of U07.1 was made by detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The diagnosis of U07.2 was made on the basis of epidemiological and clinical data in the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in the blood.

Results and discussion. The overall cohort of patients was dominated by women (55,9%), the average age of all co-infected patients was 37,5±2,78 years. The study was dominated by patients with a long history of HIV infection (66,1%), 43,2% received antiretroviral therapy (ART). The new coronavirus infection had a moderate course in 75,4% of patients. Severe form was recorded in 16,9% of patients. The mortality rate was 12,7%. The clinical picture of the new coronavirus infection upon admission was very variable due to comorbid pathology. The most frequently recorded symptoms upon admission were: increased body temperature (100%); weakness and increased fatigue (94,8%); cough (83,9%); shortness of breath (75,4%). Less frequently recorded: rhinorrhea (54,2%); sore throat (44,1%); gastrointestinal syndrome (21,2%); cerebral syndrome (17,8%); edematous-ascitic syndrome (13,5%); hepatolienal syndrome (13,5%); exanthema syndrome (10,2%). In 28,7% of patients, the number of CD4 lymphocytes was less than 200 cells/ml. The average level of CD4 lymphocytes was 321,3±43,6 cells/ml. The work revealed that as the degree of immunosuppression increased, there was a sharp increase in cases of severe forms of the new coronavirus infection, as well as an increase in deaths. The average HIV RNA level was 578 161,9±103 457,4 copecks/ml. A high HIV viral load (more than 100 000 cop/ml) was observed in 41,5% of cases, and only in this group of patients were severe forms of the new coronavirus infection recorded and, as a consequence, death. All observed patients had comorbid pathology in the form of opportunistic infections and/or concomitant diseases. The most frequently recorded opportunistic infections were: candidiasis (77,9%), cerebral toxoplasmosis (17,8%), Pneumocystis pneumonia (16,1%), tuberculosis (14,4%), central nervous system damage caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (10,2%), cytomegalovirus infection (6,78%), HIV-associated anemia (3,39%), cervical cancer (1,69%). Often opportunistic infections had a polyetiological cause. Of the concomitant diseases, bacterial pneumonia (66,9%), chronic viral hepatitis (40,7%), cardiovascular diseases (26,3%), diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (21,2%), and nervous system were most often recorded (5,93%), urinary system (5,08%) and cancer (5,03%). In 89,8% of coinfected patients, prolonged release of SARS-CoV-2 was observed, which affected the duration of antiviral therapy and the length of hospitalization.

Conclusion. The new coronavirus infection and HIV infection are the intersection of two epidemics with the subsequent mutually aggravating effect of pathogens on each other. Among the co-infected patients, young people of working age, reproductive age (30–49 years) with a long history of HIV infection (66,1%) and not taking ART (56,3%) predominated. The new coronavirus infection in HIV-infected patients more often occurred in a moderate form (75,4%), pneumonia was recorded in 83,1%. A severe form of the new coronavirus infection was recorded in 16,9% of patients. The work shows that as the degree of immunosuppression increased, there was a sharp increase in the frequency of severe forms of the new coronavirus infection. In the general cohort of patients, comorbid pathology was recorded in the form of opportunistic infections and/or concomitant diseases. Often opportunistic infections had a polyetiological cause. Multimorbidity aggravated the condition of patients and largely increased the risk of an unfavorable outcome. Mortality in the group of coinfected patients was 12,7%.