HIV/AIDS-related digestive tract emergencies in the Department of Gastroenterology of the Campus University Hospital in Lomé, Togo

The purpose of this study was to describe digestive tract emergencies observed in adult HIV-infected patients at the Campus Teaching Hospital in Lomé, Togo. The files of patients admitted in emergency to the Gastroenterology Department of the Lomé Campus Teaching Hospital from January 2005 to December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients over the age of 15 years with positive HIV serology were included in the study group. Out of a total of 842 files reviewed, 70 involved patients who were positive for HIV (8.31%). Mean patient age was 38 years and the sex ratio was 0.89. The most frequent reasons for admission were weight lost (75.7%), diarrhea (45.7%), and vomiting (41.4%). The main clinical signs were deterioration of general state (78.6%), conjunctive paleness (54.3%), fever (50%), and dehydration (17.1%). Digestive tract manifestations included thrush (37.1%), abdominal pain (21.4%) and ascites (18.6%). The most frequent diagnoses were infectious diarrhea (47.14%), digestive candidiasis (40%), and peritoneal tuberculosis (18.6%). The death rate during emergency treatment was 18.6%. These results demonstrate the high frequency and severity of digestive tract complications in HIV patients and underline the need for early management.