cqvip:PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine if the prevalence and distribu tion of anorectal pathology in HIV-infected patients treated by colorectal surg eons have changed after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy .METHODS: The Los Angeles County-University of Southern California HIV Clinic i s solely dedicated to the care of HIV patients. A colorectal clinic was establis hed within this environment in 1991 and has served as the exclusive provider for the care of anorectal pathology in these patients. A prospective database of pa tients treated at this clinic was reviewed for two 18-month periods. The first group (early period)was composed of patients treated between January 1994 throug h June 1995, before the institution of more effective antiretroviral therapy. Th e second group (later period) consisted of patients treated between January 2001 through June 2002, after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral thera py. Data were tabulated for HIV-related anorectal pathologies, such as anal ulc er and anogenital condyloma, and non-HIV-related pathologies, including fissur e, fistula-in-ano, hemorrhoids, perianal abscess, and other pathologies, for e ach of the two time periods. RESULTS: A total of 117 individual patients with an orectal pathology were treated in the early period and 109 received care in the later period, of which 107 were able to be evaluated. The pathology was distribu ted as follows for the early vs. late periods: 33 vs. 33 percent for ulcer, 30 v s. 34 percent for condyloma, 9 vs. 4 percent for fissure, 6 vs. 6 percent for fi stula, 4 vs. 5 percent for hemorrhoids, 3 vs. 3 percent for abscess, and 15 vs. 16 percent for all other anorectal pathology. There was no statistically signifi cant difference in any of these groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence and distribut ion of both HIV-related and non-HIV related anorectal pathology seen in our HI V patients have not been altered by the introduction of highly active antiretrov iral therapy.
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