The prevalence of AIDS-associated oral lesions in a cohort of patients with hemophilia

Abstract

Oral and perioral lesions have been widely reported in homosexual males and intravenous drug abusers who are seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Several case reports have also noted some AIDS-associated lesions among persons with hemophilia, but the prevalence of these lesions in hemophilia populations is not known. This study investigated the prevalence of oral and perioral lesions in a cohort of patients receiving care at a hemophilia treatment center. In a sample of 32 patients with a factor VIII deficiency and 5 patients with a factor IX deficiency who underwent oral examinations, more than 80% were HIV seropositive. Cervical lymphadenopathy was present in more than half of the patients who were HIV seropositive but was absent in those who were HIV seronegative. Intraoral AIDS-associated lesions were present only in patients for whom a diagnosis of AIDS had been made, indicating that oral lesions among persons with hemophilia who are HIV seropositive may be less prevalent than among homosexual males or intravenous drug abusers who are HIV seropositive.