CD4 cell counts and oral manifestations in HIV infected and AIDS patients

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is an acronym for AIDS caused by a retrovirus known as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which breaks down the body's immune system leaving a patient vulnerable to a host of life-threatening opportunistic infections, neurological disorders or unusual malignancies. According to estimates by the World Health Organization and UNAIDS, 35 million people were living with HIV globally at the end of 2013. The first AIDS case in India was detected in 1986. Seldom studies have been conducted correlating these parameters with oral manifestations in the Indian population.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the CD4 cell counts and oral manifestations in HIV-infected and AIDS patients and to correlate them with the seronegative controls.

This was a cross-sectional, hospital-based study on individuals who were divided into three groups, Group A consisting of 500 patients who were healthy controls without any systemic illness; Group B consisting of 500 patients who were diagnosed as HIV infected and Group C consisting of 500 patients diagnosed as AIDS patients depending on their CD4 cell counts. The permission from the Ethical Committee of the Institution as well as Superintendent of Government Hospital was obtained. Evaluation of CD4 cell counts in HIV-infected and AIDS patients was done using CyFlow Counter.

The results were found to be statistically significant with the P < 0.001 for the CD4 cell counts. Oral manifestations revealed varied results with different levels of significance.

CD4 cell counts were significantly altered in HIV-infected and AIDS patients when compared with the controls while oral manifestations revealed varied results with different levels of significance.