OBJECTIVE: To study the etiology of pleural effusions and their possible association with HIV infection. METHODS: From 09/14/88 to 10/16/89, each patient with pleural effusion had a medical history, physical examination, standard laboratory tests, chest X-ray, cyto-biochemical and microbiological pleural fluid analysis, needle biopsy of parietal pleura with histological and microbiological examination. Microbiological examination of sputum and HIV serology (Elisa, Western Blot) were carried out in a majority of patients. RESULTS: Pleural effusion was diagnosed in 127 patients (81 male/46 female; age: 19-74; mean: 34) Diagnoses and their respective association with HIV infection were the following: TABULAR DATA, SEE ABSTRACT VOLUME. CONCLUSIONS: At the CHK, pleural effusion is a common manifestation of tuberculosis, frequently associated with HIV infection. In areas with high prevalence for HIV and M. tuberculosis infection, pleural effusions in adults may be considered as a sign highly predictive of HIV infection.

Adult Aged AIDS Serodiagnosis Female Human HIV Infections/*COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS/PATHOLOGY Male Middle Age Neoplasms/DIAGNOSIS/PATHOLOGY Pleural Effusion/DIAGNOSIS/*ETIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY Prevalence Rwanda Sputum/MICROBIOLOGY Tuberculosis/COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS/PATHOLOGY ABSTRACT

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