Clinical analysis of ten cases of HIV infection combined with acute leukemia.

Objective: To summarize the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment experience of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection combined with acute leukemia.

Methods: Ten patients with HIV infection (eight males, two females; mean age of 40 years) were diagnosed with acute leukemia. Clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of these patients were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: Among these ten patients, eight acute myeloid leukemia cases and two acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases were L3; three cases of M3 were positive for the promyelocytic leukemia and Vitamin A acid receptor alpha (PML/RARA) fusion genes, and four cases presented multiple chromosomal structural and numerical abnormalities. CD4+ T cell counts of the ten patients ranged from 84 to 389 cells/μL with a mean of 253.5 cells/μL. Among six patients who received chemotherapy, three cases were alive, two died of sepsis secondary to myelosuppression after chemotherapy, and one was lost to follow-up. Among four patients who did not receive chemotherapy, three died, one had M3 treatment and died with cerebral hemorrhage, and one was lost to follow-up. The maximum survival time was 74 months.

Conclusion: HIV combined with acute leukemia has a complex presentation and rapid progression, early diagnosis and timely initiation of standard chemotherapy along with active antiviral therapy can improve patient's survival.