Clinical outcome of HIV positive patients with moderate to severe burns

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a world wide and growing problem. Little is found in the literature concerning the treatment and outcome of patients suffering from HIV infection who are treated for burns. The aim of this study was to assess whether the outcome of HIV positive patients suffering from burn wounds differed from those who do not have HIV infection. Thirty three patients formed the HIV positive study group. HIV negative controls were matched for age, degree of burns, sex and inhalation injury. The mean age of the patients was 31.6 years and the mean total body surface burn was 26.4%. There was no significant difference in the outcome of the two groups in terms of mortality or treatment parameters measured. Two patients had stigmata of AIDS (tuberculosis) and both died. One patient, with a CD4 count of 228, developed severe necrotizing fasciitis. In keeping with other studies looking at the outcome of HIV positive patients in an Intensive Care Unit setting, we concluded that a HIV positive patient, who suffers from a burn wound and has no stigmata of AIDS, should be treated similarly to a HIV negative patient.