title: Is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) stage an independent risk factor for altering the periodontal status of HIV-positive patients? A South African study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The immunosuppresion in HIV patients makes them highly susceptible to microbial infections. The aim of the study was to establish whether HIV stage (as depicted by CD4+ T lymphocyte counts) could independently be associated with periodontal status (as revealed by the measurement of clinical indices).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty HIV-infected patients attending an infectious diseases clinic in the Western Cape, South Africa were included in the study. The periodontal clinical indices such as plaque index, gingival index, pocket probing depth and clinical attachment levels were measured on the mesial aspect of the six Ramfjord teeth. The CD4 + T cell counts were taken from the patients' medical records and patients' HIV stage determined and grouped according to their CD4+ T cell counts into A (<200 cells /mm3), B (200-500 cells /mm3) and C (>500 cells /mm3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of 120 HIV-positive patients was 33.25 years and the mean CD4 + T cell count was 293.43 cells/mm3. The probing depth and clinical attachment loss were found to be significantly associated with the total CD4 + T cell counts but not with HIV stage. Significant correlations were found between age and all clinical indices except for clinical attachment loss. No correlation was found between age and HIV stage of the patients. The use of antiretroviral therapy was significantly associated with probing depth and clinical attachment loss, but not with plaque nor gingival index. Significant associations were observed between smoking and all of the clinical indices except for the gingival index. A significant association was observed between the use of interdental aids and all the clinical indices except for probing depth, while brushing was significantly associated with plaque index only. CD4 + T cell counts were significantly associated with brushing frequency (p = 0.0190) and the use of interdental aids (p = 0.0170).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study conclude that HIV stage, ART and age are not independent risk factors for changes in the periodontal status of HIV-positive subjects but rather that smoking and oral hygiene habits determine their susceptibility to disease.
authors.affiliation: Anaerobe group, Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Western Cape, South Africa. cafrica@uwc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Cathy Nisha
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Lawrence Xavier
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.forename: Charlene Wilma
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Joyce Africa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000502:physiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010512:Periodontal Index; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013019:South Africa; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents