The role of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in the era of modern antiretroviral therapy.

Objective: Gastrointestinal disorders are common in HIV-positive patients and, in some cases, may be related to antiretroviral therapy (ART), making it difficult to determine the need for upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether lymphocyte T CD4 cell counts were correlated with indications for endoscopy in these patients and with endoscopic diagnosis.

Patients And Methods: We prospectively collected data from consecutive HIV-positive patients undergoing UGI endoscopy between 2007 and 2013, and included 265 patients who had been receiving ART for at least 6 months.