HIV-associated oral lesions as an indicator for HAART failure: a review

HIV-associated oral lesions have been used as clinical indicators of HIV infection and/or HIV-disease progression. It is well established that there is a significant reduction in the incidence of most HIV-associated oral lesions in patients on HAART compared with the levels seen in HIV-seropositive patients not on HAART. However, the corollary, namely using the presence of HIV-associated oral lesions as indicators of possible HAART failure, has not been sufficiently studied.

A literature search done in Pubmed, Ovid, Medline and Biomed Central databases identified as suitable for inclusion in this review four reports, which had considered HIV-associated oral lesions as clinical markers of HAART failure.

The practicality of relying on the presence of HIV-associated oral lesions in the prediction of HAART failure was evaluated based on existing literature. Although it was suggested as an option in all four papers reviewed, the use of HIV-associated oral lesions as predictors of HAART failure has been recommended by only one of the studies.

The use of HIV-associated oral lesions as predictors of HAART failure has been suggested. This has not been studied in the South African, or the African setting.