Cutaneous diseases in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients referred to the UCLA Immunosuppression Skin Clinic: reasons for referral and management of select diseases.

Many nondermatologist physicians have become skilled at identifying and treating certain human immunodeficiency virus-related skin diseases. They are reserving referrals primarily for diagnostically or therapeutically challenging skin disorders. Our purpose was to study the reasons for referral of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients, and to review the management of select diseases. One-hundred and fifty human immunodeficiency virus-positive outpatients were evaluated consecutively for cutaneous diseases that prompted their referrals by nondermatologist physicians. The three most common reasons for referral were eczematous dermatoses (32 percent), molluscum contagiosum (24 percent), and Kaposi's sarcoma (21 percent). There are differences in the prevalence of cutaneous disorders in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients referred for dermatologic intervention compared to that in the general human immunodeficiency virus-positive population. Patients with seborrheic dermatitis, dermatophytosis, and xerosis were less commonly referred than expected based on their reported prevalence in the general human immunodeficiency virus-positive population. In contrast, molluscum contagiosum, warts, and Kaposi's sarcoma were seen more frequently in our referred cohort.