HIV and Osteoporosis: Three Case Reports and Review of the Literature

Life expectancy in Human Immunodeficieny Virus (HIV) infection patients has increased as a result of highly active antiretroviral treatment, causing a chronic disease process. Treatment agents as well as the longer lasting disease itself seem to bring about new problems. One of these problems is bone loss which was reported to occur frequently in various studies; osteoporosis in 26% and osteopenia in 67% in HIV positive patients. Additional risk factors in these patients were physical inactivity, inadequate nutrition, vitamin D deficiency, low BMI etc. The aim of this case report was to describe clinical findings in three patients we have followed, one with compression fracture and to discuss treatment.