Manifestações otorrinolaringológicas em crianças com AIDS

Introduction: The study of otolaryngologic manifestations in children HIV + can lead to early diagnosis of AIDS, allowing specific treatment, responsible by reduced morbidity and mortality. Objectives: Detect the otolaryngologic manifestations in children with AIDS and alert to the importance of the early diagnosis. Study design: Clinical prospective. Material and method: We evaluated 22 children with AIDS assisted at Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu (São Paulo, Brasil). The medical records were reviewed and the children were submitted to otolaryngologic and hearing acuity exams. Results: We evaluated 12 boys and 10 girls, whose ages ranged from 8 months to 12 years. In B and C clinical classification were included 18 children who were using anti-retroviral medicaments. Physical examination mainly indicated cervical lymphadenopathy (18 cases), paleness of the nasal mucous membrane with abundant mucous secretion over the nasal epithelium (15 cases) and retraction of tympanic membranes (seven cases). The main otolaryngologic diagnoses were: rhinosinusitis (16 cases), oral candidiasis (13 cases), inadequate eustachian tube function (seven cases) and recurrent tonsillar infections (six cases). Conductive hearing loss were detected in 4 children. No child presented sensorineural hearing loss. Conclusions: The main otolaryngologic manifestations presented by the children with HIV virus were rhinosinusitis, oral candidiasis, inadequate eustachian tube function and recurrent tonsillar infections. The allergic aspect of the nasal mucous membrane and the cervical lymphadenopathy were frequent signs and could alert the otolaryngologyst to AIDS during the exam.