Acute pulmonary embolism being the first presentation of undetected HIV infection: report of two cases

Abstract

Summary Though HIV infection is considered as a hypercoagulable state, but occurrence of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is rare and usually seen in the advanced stage of the disease. PE as a presentation in a case where there is no previous history of having HIV infection is very rare; a Medline search revealed only one case reported previously. We describe two cases who presented with acute PE and were treated; they were subsequently diagnosed as having HIV infection.