Dental Management of Patients With HIV in Pays de la Loire

Overview

Dental care for people living with HIV has evolved with the widespread use of antiretroviral therapy, which has improved life expectancy and disease control. However, uncertainty remains about whether specific adaptations are still needed during dental procedures due to potential biological abnormalities that may increase infectious or bleeding risks. This study aims to evaluate the proportion of patients living with HIV in the Pays de la Loire region who may require adapted dental management based on biological parameters such as immune status, hematological values, and comorbidities. A retrospective descriptive study will be conducted using anonymized data from 5,603 patients followed in the COREVIH Pays de la Loire database. The results are expected to provide objective data to better inform dental practice and reduce unnecessary precautions or stigmatization in the management of patients living with HIV.

This is a retrospective descriptive observational study using anonymized data from patients living with HIV followed in the Pays de la Loire region. The dataset includes 5,603 individuals whose data were previously collected as part of routine clinical care and recorded in the Nadis medical database by healthcare professionals involved in HIV management. Data were provided by the COREVIH Pays de la Loire in an anonymized format and include demographic characteristics (age, sex), HIV-related variables (viral load, duration since diagnosis, antiretroviral therapy status), co-infections (sexually transmitted infections and hepatitis B/C), biological parameters (CD4 lymphocyte count, neutrophil count, platelet count, hemoglobin level), and comorbidities (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, renal disease, cardiovascular conditions, depression). The primary objective is to determine the proportion of patients presenting biological abnormalities that may increase the risk of infectious or hemorrhagic complications during invasive dental procedures. Data analysis will consist of descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. The study does not involve any intervention, additional data collection, or direct patient contact. All data are fully anonymized prior to analysis, ensuring that participants cannot be identified. The study complies with applicable data protection regulations and is based on previously collected clinical data.