Mucocutaneous disorders in HIV/AIDS at a tertiary care hospital in Nepal: An observational study

Abstract

Background: Mucocutaneous manifestations in HIV infections are common. However, they have not, so far, been studied in Nepal. The aim of this study was, therefore, to describe mucocutaneous manifestations in Nepalese HIV patients. Materials and Methods: The following is a hospital-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology and Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) Center of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) from May 2017, through October 2018. Patients aged 16 years and above diagnosed with HIV were included in the study, for whom history and clinical examinations were performed. The study variables were age, sex, a clinical diagnosis of dermatological problems, clinical stages of HIV/AIDS, as per the World Health Organization (WHO) classification criteria, and the CD4 count. Results: A total of 52 patients were included in the study. The mean age upon presentation was 38.77 ± 10.9 years. The mean CD4 count was 464.27 ± 255.13. Females were more affected than males (female:male = 1.4:1). Mucocutaneous manifestations were the following: fungal infections (10; 19.3%), viral infections (6; 11.6%), parasitic infestations (3; 5.8%), bacterial infections (4; 7.7%), sexually transmitted infections (2; 3.8%), seborrheic dermatitis (3; 5.8%), idiopathic pruritus (3; 5.8%), recurrent oral ulcers (3; 5.8%), urticaria (3; 5.8%), pruritic papular eruptions (2; 3.8%), eczemas (2; 3.8%), acne (2; 3.8%), angular cheilitis (2; 3.8%), xerosis cutis (2; 3.8%), and others (5; 9.6%). Conclusions: The study showed that fungal infections are common in HIV patients, followed by viral infections and parasitic infestations. Seborrheic dermatitis, idiopathic pruritus, recurrent oral ulcers, and urticaria were found to be common inflammatory skin diseases in HIV.