[Preoperative HIV infection in cardiovascular surgery].

PURPOSE: To evaluate patients in the preoperative period of cardiovascular surgery for HIV antibody in the serum.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

1200 patients older than 15 years tested for HIV antibody before cardiovascular surgery with an enzyme immunoassay test (ELISA). When the results were ELISA positive ou inconclusive, another sample was collected for confirmatory test (Western Blot). We also analysed risk factors, clinical status of HIV infection and postoperative evolution.

RESULTS

ELISA test for HIV antibody were negative in 1180 (98.3%) patients, inconclusive in 14 and positive in 6. One ELISA inconclusive and six ELISA positive patients resulted Western Blot positive. All of the seven patients were asymptomatic (group II) in relation to HIV infection, including four bisexual men, two transfusion recipients men and a woman with an undetermined source of infection. Only the two transfusion recipients had their risk factor identified before testing. All of them were submitted to surgery with no immediate postoperative complication.

CONCLUSION

Seven (0.58%) patients had HIV antibody (Western Blot assay) but in only two risk factors were identified by routine preoperative anamnesis.