A comparison of pre/post-menopausal HIV infected African American women at a minority teaching hospital

A retrospective chart review of HIV infected female patients was conducted at a minority teaching hospital from 01/02 to 06/03. Heterosexual sex was the major route of transmission of HIV for 31 (80%) premenopausal (pre-m) and 8 (57%) post-menopausal (post-m) women. Intra-venous drug use (IVDU) was a risk factor in 8 (21%) pre-m and 3 (22%) post-m women. Three (22%) post-m women had as a risk factor for infection blood transfusions. Prior opportunistic infections were present in 8 out of 39 (21%) pre-m women, and in 1 out of 14 (7%) post-m woman. Mean CD4 cell counts at the time of presentation were 376 cells/mm(3) (range 1-1,072 cells/mm(3)) for pre-m women and 556 cells/mm(3) (range 68-864 cells/mm(3)) for post-m women. Ten (26%) of pre-m women compared with 1 (7%) of post-m women progressed to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Our study suggests that there is higher morbidity and mortality in pre-m African American (AA) women relative to post-m AA women.