Diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary disorders of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

• Published in: Zeitschrift fur Erkrankungen der Atmungsorgane Vol. 172; no. 1; p. 5
• Main Authors: Cone, L A, Woodard, D R, Lynch, R D, Sneider, R E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 1989
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - complications; Actinomycetales Infections - complications; Actinomycetales Infections - diagnosis; Actinomycetales Infections - therapy; Cryptosporidiosis - complications; Cryptosporidiosis - diagnosis; Cryptosporidiosis - therapy; Humans; Lung Diseases - complications; Lung Diseases - diagnosis; Lung Diseases - therapy; Lung Diseases, Fungal - complications; Lung Diseases, Fungal - diagnosis; Lung Diseases, Fungal - therapy; Lung Neoplasms - complications; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - therapy; Opportunistic Infections - complications; Opportunistic Infections - diagnosis; Opportunistic Infections - therapy; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - complications; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - therapy; Toxoplasmosis - complications; Toxoplasmosis - diagnosis; Toxoplasmosis - therapy; Virus Diseases - complications; Virus Diseases - diagnosis; Virus Diseases - therapy
• ISSN: 0303-657X

It is apparent that the lung is frequently involved by a number of opportunistic pathogens and neoplasms in AIDS patients. What is even more disconcerting is the fact that often several infections or infection and neoplasm can coexist [236]. At this time, although effective therapy is at hand for most of the disorders mentioned, the patient's underlying immunodeficiency prevents any long-term survival and also usually leads to relapse when treatment is discontinued. Perhaps the use of newer antiviral compounds such as azidothymidine [237] or immunomodulating agents will help to reconstitute the waning immunocompetence and allow more durable responses in these currently fatal complications.