Atopy in HIV-infected children attending the pediatric antiretroviral clinic of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.

BACKGROUND

Atopy is poorly researched in HIV children living in the developing countries. There is no previous report on this subject in Nigeria and this pioneering study is undertaken to create an awareness of the burden of this disease among health practitioners.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to document the atopic diseases present among HIV-infected children attending the antiretroviral (ARV) clinic of a Nigerian tertiary hospital.

METHODS

Information was obtained from consecutive consenting caregiver/HIV-infected child attending the pediatric ARV clinic, by the use of a proforma specifically designed for the study. The data obtained were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software program, version 16.0.

RESULTS

Seventy patients were studied and their ages ranged between 2 and 17 years. These 70 were constituted by 34 (48.6%) boys and 36 (51.4%) girls. Ten (14.3%) of the 70 studied, had atopic diseases. Nine (12.9%) patients had allergic conjunctivitis and 1 (1.4%) had allergic rhinitis. The single patient with allergic rhinitis also had bronchial asthma. No case of atopic eczema, or food allergy was recorded. Atopic disease conditions were more commonly recorded among the male sex and those whose parents have atopic diseases (P < 0.05). Atopic diseases were also more common among children without advanced HIV diseases and those with eosinophilia. Cosmetic and psychological embarrassment from eye discoloration and itching were the negative impacts on the quality of living.

CONCLUSION

Allergic conjunctivitis is common in HIV-infected Nigerian children. Atopies are more common in boys and children with parental atopies.