AIDS-related complex
| AIDS-related complex | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Kaposi's sarcomais a part of AIDS-related complex | |
| Specialty | Infectious disease |
AIDS-related complex(ARC) was introduced after discovery of the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) when the medical community became aware of the inherent difficulties associated with treating patients who have an advanced case of HIV which gave rise to the termacquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS). The necessity for doctors to quickly and accurately understand the specific needs of unknown patients with AIDS in anemergency departmentsituation was addressed with the creation of the term ARC.[citation needed]
ARC is a "prodromalphase of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) "that includes: low gradefever,unexplained weight loss,diarrhea,opportunistic infectionsandgeneralized lymphadenopathy.[citation needed]
"Laboratory criteria separating AIDS-related complex (ARC) from AIDS include elevated or hyperactiveB-cellhumoral immune responses, compared to depressed or normal antibody reactivity in AIDS; follicular or mixed hyperplasia in ARC lymph nodes, leading to lymphocyte degeneration and depletion more typical of AIDS; evolving succession of histopathological lesions such as localization ofKaposi's sarcoma,signaling the transition to the full-blown AIDS. "[1]
Clinical use of this term was widely discontinued by the year 2000 in the United States after having been replaced by modern laboratory criteria.[citation needed]
