[Sinus manifestations of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome]

We decided to review the different disorders which may affect the paranasal sinuses in the course of the acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome, and the most suitable treatment for them.

Involvement of the paranasal sinuses is not particularly common in the acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome. The commonest disorder is sinusitis. Also seen are lymphomas no-Hodgkin, small cell, Burkitt's or no Burkitt and immunoblastic. Cases of Kaposi's sarcoma or malignant tumors such as a schwannoma may appear. In our hospital, an HIV+ patient presented with a frontal cerebral abscess which had developed from sinusitis of the whole left paranasal sphere. We have therefore reviewed 150 histories of HIV+ patients and the relevant literature available.

Only in 3.3% of the HIV+ patients reviewed did sinusitis develop during the course of their illness. In one of these, there was intracranial spread of infection with the appearance of cerebral abscess following infection by Streptococcus milleri. We emphasize the review of the literature dealing with sinus pathology in these patients. On many occasions diagnosis was not made since it was masked by other infections. Cure is difficult and relapses are frequent in spite of suitable treatment and are associated with decline in immunocompetence.