Laryngeal symptoms and videolaryngoscopy findings in people living with hiv/aids in the central amazon Region: A case analysis

Abstract

Introduction: More than eighty percent of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) will eventually develop ear nose and throat (ENT) manifestations, of which, 45% are associated with laryngeal symptoms. Objective: This study seeks to describe laryngeal symptoms and videolaryngoscopy findings in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) treated in a tertiary public health unit in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil from March to May 2019. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study that evaluated, through questionnaires and videolaryngoscopy (VDL), pharyngolaryngological complaints and laryngeal findings of PLHIV treated in the emergency care department. Results: A total of 34 patients reported pharyngolaryngological complaints: hawking (45%), hypopharyngeal secretion (43.3%) and globus pharyngeus (35%). Of the 60 patients, 56 were on antiretroviral therapy (93.3%), and twenty-four (40%) patients had a CD4 count of > 500 cells/mL, followed by 17 (28.3%) with a count of < 200 cells/mL. VDL was altered in 58 individuals, with the most prevalent findings being posterior edema (77%), supraglottic hyperemia (70%) and vallecula salivary stasis (37%). Conclusion: There was no correlation between pharyngolaryngological complaints and videolaryngoscopy findings with CD4 count or the viral load of the analyzed patients.