Causes of Weight Loss in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Abstract

The medical records of all 420 patients attending an outpatient clinic between June 1990 and June 1991 were retrospectively reviewed for causes of weight loss. Of the 121 (29%) patients who had lost weight, the majority had a clear contributing cause; opportunistic infections ( n = 57), psychosocial factors ( n = 20), drug related problems ( n = 9). Unexplained weight loss ( n = 35) was more likely to have occurred in those patients with a better preserved immune system and most of these had symptoms suggestive of an unconfirmed infection or had local oral lesions associated with a loss of appetite. Unexplained weight loss associated with HIV infection is uncommon.