Clinical characteristics and treatment strategies of AIDS pa-tients with amebic liver abscess
Ruiyun Sun
Danlei Mou
Tongzeng Li
Lianchun Liang
Abstract：Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies for AIDS patients with amebic liver abscess (ALA).
Methods Clinical data, laboratory results, abdominal computed tomography scans, treatment regimens, and follow-up outcomes of four AIDS patients with ALA admitted to Beijing Youan Hospital from January 2019 to July 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.
Results All 4 patients were male, with a mean age of 39.3±9.0 years. Common symptoms included fever, weight loss, diarrhea, and right upper quadrant pain. Laboratory findings showed an elevated white blood cell count (15.6±6.3×109/L) and increased C-reactive protein levels (188.0±62.6 mg/L), with 75% of patients exhibiting liver dysfunction. Two patients were diagnosed via metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of abscess fluid, while the other two were confirmed by colonoscopic pathology. All patients received metronidazole; two improved with medication alone, and two required additional percutaneous catheter drainage.
Conclusion The clinical manifestations of AIDS patients with ALA are nonspecific. Dark red or chocolate-colored abscess fluid is a strong diagnostic indicator, and mNGS aids in confirmation. Abdominal CT combined with colonoscopy is valuable for patients with concurrent intestinal amebiasis or ameboma. Acute invasive ALA requires combined pharmacotherapy and percutaneous catheter drainage.
Keywords：Amebiasisamebic liver abscessAIDSmetagenomic next-generation sequencingclinical charac-teristicstreatment
Publication Date：2025-03-30
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：9( 28-36 )