Head and neck presentations of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Since December 1980, over 3000 cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have been reported. The charts of 102 patients admitted to the New York University Medical Center with a diagnosis of AIDS were reviewed with particular emphasis on presenting signs, symptoms, and laboratory values. Symptoms tended to be nonspecific and most often resembled those of an upper respiratory infection. Over 71% of the patients presented with at least two of the following four signs: diffuse adenopathy, oral and facial lesions consistent with Kaposi's sarcoma, white oral lesions, and anergy. Laboratory findings included leukopenia, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. The in-hospital mortality rate was 26%. The current status of our knowledge concerning AIDS is reviewed and discussed. The frequency and types of presenting signs and symptoms in the head and neck are reported to alert the otolaryngologic community to this entity.