BACKGROUND: Ever since the beginning of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Aids) epidemic, a number of dermatoses have been frequently described in patients with this disease. In the literature, case reports and studies in series of adult patients with atypical lesions are frequent found. By contrast, there are few reports on cutaneous alterations in pediatric patients with Aids. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the following prospective survey is to evaluate the presence of dermatoses in 40 pediatric patients with Aids. METHOD: Forty patients diagnosed with Aids and less than 13 years of age were seen for six months. The following features were evaluated: number of dermatoses, clinical characteristics, distribution in accordance with the clinical-immunological categories in relation to CD4 T-lymphocyte and viral load values. RESULTS: The prevalence of dermatoses in the first evaluation was 82.4%. In a longitudinal follow-up, 92.5% of the patients developed some kind of skin problem. Children belonging to the worst clinical-immunological category, with a viral load higher than 100,000 copies/ml showed a higher number of dermatoses when compared to the mildest categories. The number of dermatologic alterations per patient was 6.8 in clinical category C and 3.6 in A. In the immunological severe category, it was 7.0, while in the mild one, it was 3.7. For viral load > 100,000, the number was 7.3, and for < 100,000, it was 4,2 (all with statistical significance). CONCLUSION: Dermatological alterations were frequent and directly related to advanced stages of Aids in pediatric patients. Higher frequencies of skin alterations in pediatric patients with Aids indicate that it is necessary to perform careful and frequent dermatological examinations of these patients.
skin diseases; HIV; immunosuppression; skin manifestations; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
