Risk factors associated with oral lesions in HIV-infected heterosexual people and intravenous drug users in Thailand.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to identify factors associated with the presence of oral lesions in HIV-infected individuals in Thailand, to determine the influence of gender and route of HIV transmission on the prevalence of the lesions, and to investigate whether total lymphocyte cell counts can be used as a serologic marker to predict the occurrence of oral lesions. Two hundred and seventy-eight HIV-infected heterosexual persons and intravenous drug users (IVDUs) were enrolled (230 males, 48 females). Eighty-six HIV-free subjects from the same population were included as controls (61 males, 25 females). Oral candidiasis was the most common oral lesion among HIV-infected individuals (39.6%), followed by hairy leukoplakia (HL) (26.3%), exfoliative cheilitis (18.3%), and linear gingival erythema (LGE) (11.5%). Odds ratios (ORs) for factors associated with the presence of oral lesions were as follows for advanced HIV disease defined by clinical status symptomatic stage [OR= 18.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.3-47.2], AIDS stage [OR 7.3; 95% CI 3.4-15.7] and laboratory investigation of total number of lymphocyte cell counts of 1,000-2,000 cell/mm3 [OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.4-5.1] and <1,000 cell/mm3 [OR 4.0; 95% CI 2.3-7.0], alcohol consumption [OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.3-9.1], and poor oral health [OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.0-2.9]. Men were significantly more likely to have oral lesions than women. No statistically significant difference in the presence of oral lesions was observed between heterosexuals and IVDUs. This study should help predict the risk of acquiring various types of oral lesions, given that the person is exposed to multiple risk factors compared to another who is not exposed to these factors.