Abstract

HASBUM-FERNANDEZ, Benhard; RODRIGUEZ-MONTERO, Lucrecia; BRENES-SABA, Maximiliano  and  LEON-BRATTI, María Paz. Comparación del estado nutricional de los pacientes portadores de VIH/sida ingresados en los años 2002 y 2004 en el Hospital México. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2006, vol.48, n.4, pp.194-197. ISSN 0001-6002.

Aim: To compare the nutritional status of the patients admitted to the Hospital México, San José, Costa Rica, for HIV/aids during 2002 and during 2004. Materials and methods: Every patient admitted during the year 2002 and 2004 to the Hospital México with the diagnosis of HIV/aids, was assessed for a general nutritional condition. The evaluation included weight, height and body mass index (BMI). Both groups were then compared. Results: Fifty nine patients were admitted and evaluated during 2002. Ninety one point six percent were males and 8.4% females. The mean weight was of 54.36 ± 10.3 k and the mean BMI was 19,3 ± 12,6 kg/m². Thirty one point four percent of the patients had a BMI < 18,5 kg/m² 59,0% had a BMI between 18,6 and 25 kg/m²,and 9,5% had a BMI over 25 kg/m². For 2004, there were 71 patients evaluated, of whom 16,9 % were females. Their mean weight was of 59,1 ± 12,7 kg their mean BMI was 21,1 ± 4, 50 kg/m². Of the total of patients studied 25,35% had a BMI < 18,5 kg/m², 61,97% had a normal BMI and 12,68% had a BMI > 25 kg/m². The mean weight of the patients evaluated during 2004 was 4,7 kg higher than that of those seen during 2002, and their BMI was 1.88kg/m² higher. The percentage of patients with BMI lower than normal decreased in 6.07% between 2002 and 2004 and the percentage of patients with normal BMI increased by 2,9%. Conclusions: The nutritional condition of the patients admitted for HIV/aids at the Hospital Mexico, improved between 2002 and 2004.

Keywords : HIV - AIDS; nutritional status; body mass index; weight.