Association of dermatological manifestations with CD4 count among people living with HIV attending tertiary care hospital of South Gujarat.

Introduction: Dermatological manifestations are common manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, seen in 80% to 95% of HIV-infected patients. Dermatological manifestations are considered clinical indicators to predict and assess the underlying immune status.

Aim: This study aims to document the dermatological manifestations in relation to CD4 count in people living with HIV (PLHIV).

Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study in 250 PLHIV fulfilling inclusion-exclusion criteria was conducted. Variables including sociodemographic profile, recent CD4 count (data from antiretroviral therapy center), and dermatological manifestation (physical examination) were collected. Clinical diagnosis was established, and patients were grouped according to the World Health Organization immunological staging.

Results: Majority of PLHIV (39.6%) were in the age group of 31-40 years. Males were affected more than females (1.6:1). A total of 364 dermatoses were observed; dermatological manifestation per patient ranged from 1 to 4. 32.80%. PLHIV had CD4 count >500 cells/mm³, 15.60% had CD4 count between 200-349 cells/mm³. Majority of dermatosis had infectious etiology (77.6%), out of which dermatophytosis (27.2%) was the most common infectious condition, whereas pruritic papular eruption was the most common (11.6%) noninfectious condition. A statistically significant association of CD4 count was found with dermatophytosis (P ≤ 0.001) and candidiasis (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: The study showed a significant association between the number of dermatological manifestation and CD4 count as majority of study participants (67.2%) had CD4 <500 cells/mm³ at the time of episode of dermatosis.