Objective: To assess changes in the prevalence of otitis media, associated with the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy, in Brazilian human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected children.
Setting: Division of otorhinolaryngology, Hospital das Clínicas, Sao Paulo University Medical School, Brazil.
Patients: A cohort of 459 HIV-infected children aged below 13 years.
Main outcome measures: The prevalence of otitis media and the serum cluster of differentiation four glycoprotein T lymphocyte count were compared for children receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (with protease inhibitors) and those receiving standard antiretroviral therapy (without protease inhibitors).
Results: Otitis media was present in 33.1 per cent of the children. Children aged from zero years to five years 11 months receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy had a higher prevalence of acute otitis media (p=0.02) and a lower prevalence of chronic otitis media (p=0.02). Children who were receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy had a mean serum cluster of differentiation four glycoprotein T lymphocyte count greater than that of those who were receiving standard antiretroviral therapy (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy in Brazilian HIV-infected children was associated with a lower prevalence of chronic otitis media.