Title:Mucocutaneous Manifestations of People Living with HIV in Current
Antiretroviral Therapy Era
Volume: 20
Issue: 2
Author(s): Onur Sivaz*, Ezgi Ozkur, Ilknur Kivanc Altunay, Ahsen Oncul and Dilek Yıldız Sevgi
Affiliation:
- Department of Dermatology, Health Science University, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul,
Turkey
Keywords:
Cutaneous manifestations, HIV, AIDS, CD4 count, antiretroviral therapy, Turkey, seborrheic dermatitis.
Abstract:
Objective: It has been reported that approximately 90 % of patients infected with the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have various cutaneous symptoms related to the virus. This
study aims to describe the cutaneous disorders that have developed in HIV-infected patients and to
investigate the factors that may be related, such as relationships to drug use and CD4 counts.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included people living with HIV and being followed by our
hospital’s infectious diseases clinic after being referred to the dermatology clinic because of skin
lesions. These patients had been diagnosed with HIV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests
and were included in the study if they were older than 18 years and had agreed to participate. Findings
from detailed dermatological examinations were recorded, along with the patients’ CD4 counts,
the durations of their illnesses, and the treatments they received.
Results: 144 patients were included in the study. The most common mucocutaneous manifestation
was seborrheic dermatitis, at 28.5 % (n = 41). The mean CD4 count was 607.1 (min-max = 10.6-
1982). The CD4 counts were divided into three groups in the study as follows: 22 (15.3 %) patients
with <200, 35 (24.3 seborrheic dermatitis) patients between 200 and 500, and 87 (60.4 %) patients
with >500. There were no statistical differences between these groups in terms of dermatological
findings. Nevertheless, the highest rate of patients with three or more dermatological conditions was
found among those with CD4 counts <200 (n = 11.50 %).
Conclusion: Skin manifestations are common in patients who are HIV-positive; however, many
skin disorders can be seen in HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients whatever
CD4 cell counts of these patients are.
