Mucocutaneous manifestations among persons receiving highly active anti-retroviral therapy

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">Mucocutaneous manifestations in patients positive for HIV are helpful in the diagnosis as well as treatment of the disease. Consequent to the introduction of Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART), there seems to be an increase in the presentation of non-infective diseases. It was aimed to analyse the mucocutaneous manifestations in HIV infected patients taking HAART and correlate with age and CD4 lymphocyte count.</span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> A retrospective analysis of 125 People Living With HIV (PLWH) having mucocutaneous manifestations receiving HAART who attended a tertiary care city hospital over a period of ten months from January 2016 to October 2016 was carried out. The findings were correlated with CD4 count and age. The data were collected from the patient follow up cards maintained by qualified Dermatovenereologist.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">There was no major gender difference in our study. The trans genders presented with only non-infectious skin diseases. Younger patients had a higher CD4 count (p=0.01%) which was statistically significant. Candidiasis and pruritic papular eruption were the commonest infective and non-infective diseases observed respectively. The mean CD4 count comparison was statistically significant (p=0.04). The count was highest for insect bite allergy and lowest for oral hairy leukoplakia. The mean age of disease manifestation was highest for Herpes zoster and lowest for aphthous ulcers 45 and 29 years respectively. All the adverse reactions observed were to efavirenz. </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">With the improvement of CD4 count in PLWH receiving HAART, the proportion of non-infectious inflammatory disease manifestations are on the rise. Awareness about this fact is very important for effective management.</span></p>