Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease presents a plethora of oral manifestations, which provide valuable diagnostic and prognostic information. The oral presentations reflect the underlying immune status of the patient. Morphology and multiplicity of these lesions in an individual are correlated with disease progression. A CD4+ lymphocyte count of less than 200/µL has been postulated as indicative of an active disease and thus can be used to monitor the progress of the disease and plan suitable therapy. The purpose of this study was to explore the oral features of a group of HIV patients and survey their CD4 + counts. Study design: This was a cross sectional study where 120 HIV infected patients were recruited. Investigations included; interviews, physical examinations and enumeration of CD4+ T cells. Based on CD4+ count, participants were grouped into: a) < 200 cells/µL and b) ≥ 200 cells/µL. Results: A total of 10 HIV-associated oral lesions were observed in 88 (73.33 %) patients. Oral candidiasis and oral hairy leukoplakia were the commonest (26.67% each), followed by melanin hyperpigmentation (25 %). There was a significant association between the presence of oral lesions and CD4+ count < 200 cells/µL (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The oral health status of a HIV infected patient at presentation is an extremely important parameter, as it may reveal important information regarding the immune status of the individual. This reiterates the need for thorough oral examination in HIV positive patients, and provision of optimal medical care to these patients.
Key words: Human immunodeficiency virus, CD4+ count, oral manifestations, oral candidiasis.

Corresponding Author: Dr. Rachna Kaushik, MDS, Assistant Professor, Department of Dentistry, Sri Krishna Medical College & Hospital, Muzaffarpur, India

This article may be cited as: Pushpanshu K,  Kaushik R. Association of CD4 count with oral manifestations among the HIV infected patients of Central India. J Adv Med Dent Scie Res 2016;4(6):310-314.