Prevalence of Mucosal and Cutaneous disorders among HIV/AIDS adult Filipino patients 18-60 years old seen in a tertiary hospital in Makati City

ABSTRACT

Background@#With the recent rise in number of HIV/AIDS patients in the Philippines, knowledge of the most common mucosal and cutaneous findings among HIV/AIDS patients can be a valuable tool of assessment.@*Objectives@#To determine the different mucosal and cutaneous disease findings of HIV/AIDS patients; evaluate their frequency and association with the latest CD4 cell counts, and to determine patients’ demographic and medical profiles.@*Methods@#This is a cross-sectional study done at a tertiary hospital in Makati city from January 2017 to September 2018. Walk-in patients or those referred by Infectious Disease specialists were evaluated using a standardized history and physical examina- tion form. Latest CD4 counts were also obtained.@*Results@#A total of 93 patients were enrolled. Majority were males (98%), with a mean age of 32 +/- 7.08, employed (64%), and on HAART (87%). A large part of the group (45%) has severe immunosuppression (CD4 counts <200/mm3). The most common manifes- tations were the following non-infective, fungal, and drug-related dermatoses, with the most common dermatoses being seb- orrheic dermatitis, xerosis, pruritic papular eruptions (PPE), superficial fungal infections, drug hypersensitivity reactions, and syphilis. PPE was noted to be significantly associated with low CD4 counts.@*Conclusion@#Due to small population size, significant associations between the other dermatoses with their CD4 counts were not seen except for PPE, which was significantly associated with CD4 counts <200/mm3. Nevertheless, a strong suspicion for any underlying HIV//AIDS infection is still warranted in the presence of these dermatoses.