Open the intensive care unit doors to HIV-infected patients with sepsis

doi:10.1186/cc3923

Critical Care
Volume 9
Issue 6

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Commentary

Open the intensive care unit doors to HIV-infected patients with sepsis

Jean-François Timsit

Group of Epidemiology of Cancer and Severe Diseases, INSERM U 578, Medical ICU, University Hospital, Albert Michallon, 38000 Grenoble, France

author email corresponding author email

Critical Care 2005, 9:629-630doi:10.1186/cc3923


Published:	22 November 2005

See related research article http://ccforum.com/content/9/6/R623

Abstract

Severe sepsis is more and more frequent, especially because of an increased rate of immunocompromised patients. Despite the improvement in the overall prognosis of HIV/AIDS patients and the improvement of global ICU care, the prognosis of HIV/ADS patients hospitalized in ICU with severe sepsis remained poor. This situation is partly due to the increased proportion of HIV/AIDS patients with limited access to health care and to a reluctance of ICU physicians in admitting HIV infected patients. However, medical literature suggests that ICU prognosis of immunocompromised (especially cancer) patients should be largely improved by early ICU admission and by an early institution of supportive techniques. This strategy should be used in HIV/AIDS patients with severe sepsis.