IADR Abstract Archives
Health-related Anxiety Consideration in Oral Management of HIV-Seropositive Patient
Objectives: The number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) has been increasing since its first known case in the early 1980s. With the widespread use of antiretroviral therapy (ART), PLHIV can reach the same life expectancy as the general population. However, PLHIV can also experience comorbidities such as health anxiety in addition to oral manifestations of HIV. We are describing a case of HIV positive patient who presented to oral medicine clinic in our hospital with complaint of oral soreness and bumps on his lateral sides of the tongue and self-confession of anxiety regarding his health.
Methods: A 35-years old male patient came to the oral medicine clinic complaining discomfort on patient’s tongue which presented for one week. The patient was alarmed by two bumps seen on the tongue right lateral side and soreness on the left lateral side. Nystatin oral suspension was prescribed by a medical doctor but discontinued by patient since he felt soreness. Patient admitted that he was positive for HIV since three years ago and routinely took ART. Patient’s viral load was undetected and CD4+ cell count was normal (>500 cells/µL). Intraoral examination showed unremarkable findings except slightly enlarged and erythematous foliate papillae on the left lateral side of the tongue. Patient was prescribed with antiseptic mouth rinse and after several days, his symptoms had dissipated. Since the patient reported anxiety regarding his health and HIV status, we offered a self-assessment tool to measure the presence of anxiety symptom. The patient was shown to have anxiety using the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (total score=21).
Results: Clinical case, not applicable.
Conclusions: Dentists and oral medicine specialists are required to give oral health care and also comprehend the psychiatric comorbidities in PLHIV thus providing and contributing to patient’s improved oral health care and quality of life.
Methods: A 35-years old male patient came to the oral medicine clinic complaining discomfort on patient’s tongue which presented for one week. The patient was alarmed by two bumps seen on the tongue right lateral side and soreness on the left lateral side. Nystatin oral suspension was prescribed by a medical doctor but discontinued by patient since he felt soreness. Patient admitted that he was positive for HIV since three years ago and routinely took ART. Patient’s viral load was undetected and CD4+ cell count was normal (>500 cells/µL). Intraoral examination showed unremarkable findings except slightly enlarged and erythematous foliate papillae on the left lateral side of the tongue. Patient was prescribed with antiseptic mouth rinse and after several days, his symptoms had dissipated. Since the patient reported anxiety regarding his health and HIV status, we offered a self-assessment tool to measure the presence of anxiety symptom. The patient was shown to have anxiety using the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (total score=21).
Results: Clinical case, not applicable.
Conclusions: Dentists and oral medicine specialists are required to give oral health care and also comprehend the psychiatric comorbidities in PLHIV thus providing and contributing to patient’s improved oral health care and quality of life.