[Clinical and evolutionary characteristics of 134 patients with disseminated histoplasmosis associated with AIDS in the State of Ceará].

INTRODUCTION Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic in Ceará, disseminated histoplasmosis (DH) has often been detected among AIDS patients. METHODS In order to investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics, evolution and survival of cases of DH/AIDS coinfection, the medical records on 134 cases of DH admitted to a reference hospital in Ceará between 1999 and 2005 were analyzed. RESULTS Patients with DH presented higher frequency of daily fever, coughing, weight loss, enlarged liver and spleen and acute kidney failure. The diagnosis was made using investigation and/or cultures. At admission, the following were risk factors for death among DH patients: vomiting, dyspnea, respiratory failure, acute kidney failure, hemoglobin < or = 8g/l, urea > or = 40mg/dl and creatinine > or = 1.5 mg/dl. CONCLUSIONS Patients with DH characteristically presented higher fever, previous hospitalization due to respiratory infection and more clinical complications. Significant anemia and elevated urea were independent risk factors for death among DH patients.