Study objective: To describe the reasons for the HIV testing of HIV-positive women and their clinical presentation and to make specific laboratory comparisons between women intravenous drug users (IVDUs) and non-IVDUs who were heterosexually infected (HTs).
Design: Consecutive case series.
Setting: Four primary care sites associated with the Brown University AIDS Program.
Participants: 140 consecutive HIV-seropositive women.
Results: The most common reason for HIV testing in both groups was self-perception of risk. Presenting T-helper lymphocyte counts, leukocyte counts, and hematocrits did not differ significantly between the groups. Intravenous drug users were significantly more likely than HTs to have evidence of hepatitis B virus exposure (p less than 0.0001) and to report the history of a sexually transmitted disease (p = 0.005). Twenty percent of HTs versus 10% of IVDUs were tested only after they had HIV-related symptoms. The most frequent clinical presentation for both groups was Centers for Disease Control Group IV/A constitutional symptoms.
Conclusions: Many HIV-seropositive women do not enter the health care system until they are symptomatic, but those infected heterosexually and those using parenteral drugs have similar laboratory indices at presentation. AIDS education strategies toward all women at risk must include information about manifestations of HIV disease in women, as well as preventive measures, to ensure early access to the health care system.