The client at the HIV clinic has come in complaining of unintended weight loss with diarrhea lasting over the last month. How is the wasting syndrome in clients with AIDS defined

The correct answer is Loss of 10% of usual weight.

Explanation:

The attrition syndrome associated with HIV infection is characterized by:

Loss of involuntary body weight and greater than 10% compared to the normal reference weight. Diarrhea or chronic weakness with fever, for a period greater than 30 days. Absence of any infection or condition other than HIV: cancer, tuberculosis, cryptosporidiasis and other enteritis that could explain these symptoms. In practice, any progressive and involuntary weight loss of this magnitude is considered a syndrome of attrition and translates into the development of a significant nutritional deficit that leads to significant physical and psychological deterioration.

The attrition syndrome may be a consequence of HIV infection itself. Thus, those patients presenting with symptoms of wear and tear should use all available options of antiretroviral therapy, which may remit symptoms and not require other specific interventions. It is also associated with opportunistic HIV infections and cancers. Opportunistic infections that cause diarrhea can cause attrition syndrome. This can cause greater immunodeficiency in affected people and predispose them to certain diarrheal opportunistic infections, which would be reinforced by a vicious cycle.