The first one hundred AIDS cases in Hong Kong

OBJECTIVE To study the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the first 100 reported AIDS cases in Hong Kong.PATIENTS AND METHODS The case records of the first 100 AIDS cases reported to the Department of Health were retrieved. An analysis was made on their demographic data, clinical and immunologic profile, treatment received as well as mortality.RESULTS The AIDS patients were reported over a ten-year period, from February 1985 to March 1994. The majority of them were male, Chinese and between the age of 20 and 49. More than 80% acquired HIV via sexual contact. The most common primary AIDS- defining illness wasPneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), which occurred in 46 patients. Eight episodes ofPenicillium marneffei infection have been recorded. Fifty-nine patients have received antiretroviral therapy whereas PCP prophylaxis was given to 47 patients. The mean CD4 count at HIV and AIDS diagnosis was 394/μl and 121/μl respectively. Sixty-seven patients were known to have died at the time of the analysis. PCP was the most common cause of death, accounting for over one-fifth of the cases. The median survival after AIDS diagnosis was less than 2 months for cases reported in 1985-1987 and over 15 months for those of 1990-1991.CONCLUSIONS Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was the most common initial AIDS-defining disease and cause of death in Hong Kong. Survival of the patients has gradually improved over the past few years.