Aids pediátrica: manifestações estomatológicas e sua correlação com o grau de imunodepressão

Abstract

The object of this study was to determine the frequency of stomatological manifestations, as well as their correlation with the immunological classification of pediatric patients infected by HIV, followed up at the Hospital Complex of Infectious-Contagious Diseases ( Complexo Hospitalar de Doenças Infecto-Contagiosas ) Dr. Clementino Fraga, in the city of João Pessoa-PB. The sample consisted of 21 children, there being 12 boys and 9 girls, ranging in age from 2 to 12 years of age, with an average age of 6.4 years (± 2.8). A single examiner performed the clinical examination of the children, at the same time at which the CD4 lymphocyte counting examination was requested by the doctor responsible for these patients at the above-mentioned hospital. Data about their medical history was collected from their medical charts. All the patients were making use of antiretroviral therapy, and 95.2% (n=20) were infected via vertical means. Fifteen patients (71.4%) presented at least one stomatological lesion at the time of examination, the most prevalent of these being cervical facial lymphadenopathy (28.5%), followed by hypertrophy of the parotids (23.8%), pseudomembranous candidiasis (19%), angular cheilitis (19%) and linear gingival erythema (4,7%). A statistically significant correlation (p=0.039) was observed between the presence of buccal manifestations and the degree of immunosuppression. It was, therefore, concluded that stomatological manifestations were frequent among the studied children and that their presence was associated with the patient s immunological status.