title: Pigmentation: a potential cutaneous marker for AIDS?
abstract: Pigmentation of skin, nails and mucosae has frequently been described in HIV positive patients. Various causes for this phenomenon have been ascribed, which include intake of various drugs like zidovudine, opportunistic infections like toxoplasmosis and adrenocortical suppression. However, there has been no uniform explanation. We describe three AIDS patients with different personal and disease profiles but essentially the same pattern of pigmentation. This pattern of pigmentation is thereby discussed. We also propose that this pigmentation could be a result of late stage HIV disease per se and thus could serve as a useful cutaneous marker for the same.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Chander
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grover
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kubba
authors.forename: Shikha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.forename: Soni
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nanda
authors.forename: Belum Siva Nagi
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Reddy
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009262:Nails / Q000473:pathology; D010859:Pigmentation Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology