Síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida: aspectos epidemiológicos no estado do Ceará

Abstract

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is, today, one of the main problems faced by public health services. Despite the efforts of scientists worldwide, it continues to claim lives. Epidemiological data alone would be sufficient to consider it the greatest health problem of our time. This study examined the epidemiological characteristics of AIDS in a sample of 286 patients treated at Hospital São José, the main hospital in Ceará, regarding both inpatient and outpatient care. The study was both retrospective and prospective, analyzing medical records and completing a questionnaire outlining the characteristics to be addressed. The objectives were to identify epidemiological aspects and compare AIDS data from Ceará with those of other Brazilian states, to promote better clinical and epidemiological management of cases, and to identify approaches to patient care and treatment that can contribute to increased survival rates. Among the data collected, it was found that the majority of patients were male and over 25 years old. The predominant exposure category was homosexual, followed by heterosexual. Patient survival was around two years. In the clinical course, the most frequent signs and symptoms were dehydration and diarrhea (39.5%), fever (19.9%), weight loss (7.0%), cough (5.5%), headache (4.7%), weakness (2.7%), dyspnea (2.3%), and cramps (2.3%). Regarding the main causes of hospitalization and death, we found pneumonia (19.1%), toxoplasmosis (11.2%), and tuberculosis (10.5%), among others. It was observed that infected individuals sought healthcare services when the disease was in a more advanced stage. The importance of preventive work at all stages of the disease process is highlighted, in order to protect the patient by avoiding the emergence of opportunistic infections as much as possible, thus improving their quality of life and prolonging survival.