“In all cases, the probability of HIV, given a diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia, exceeds 1%, suggesting that anyone presenting with bacterial pneumonia should reasonably tested for HIV,” Dr. Justice said.
Similarly, the relative risks for herpes zoster for HIV-infected persons ranged from 22.3 in the youngest cohort members to 7.3 among the oldest, and the respective relative risks for thrombocytopenia ranged from 25 to 3.2, suggesting that these findings should trigger HIV testing, Dr. Justice said.
Differences between HIV-infected and uninfected persons with both anemia and lymphocytopenia are more pronounced for younger than for older patients, suggesting that these conditions should trigger HIV testing when they occur in those under age 60, Dr. Justice said.
The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and Veterans Health Administration. Dr. Justice reported having no disclosures.