Objective: To determine the prevalence and determinants of chronic periodontitis in HIV positive patients. Methods: A total of 120 HIV positive patients attending the dedicated HIV outpatient clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria were recruited for the study. Their periodontal status was assessed using the community periodontal index of treatment needs. Their CD4+ cell count was determined using the flow-cytometer method. The risk factors for periodontitis including age,

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... er, education, smoking, CD4 + cell counts, bleeding on probing (BOP) were determined. Results: Prevalence of periodontitis was high (63.3%) in the HIV positive patients. In a bivariate analysis, significant associations were observed between severity of periodontitis and age ≥35 years (P=0.021), male gender (P=0.005), smoking (P=0.040) and ≥3 community periodontal index of treatment needs sextants exhibiting BOP (P=0.004). In a binary logistic regression, independent predictors of periodontitis were ≥3 sextants exhibiting BOP (odds ratio 1.738, 95% CI 1.339 to 2.256, P=0.000) and age ≥35 years (odds ratio 1.057, 95% CI 1.005 to 1.111, P=0.030). The CD4+ cell counts were not associated with periodontitis in the HIV positive patients (P=0.988). Conclusions: A high prevalence of periodontitis was found among the HIV positive Nigerian patients in this study. Older age ≥35 years and BOP were the determinants of periodontitis. There is therefore a need for close periodontal monitoring of HIV positive Nigerian patients with emphasis on preventive, professional oral prophylaxis.