What are the implications of odynophagia in a patient with HIV infection?
- Odynophagia, or painful swallowing, is an uncommon symptom.
- In patients with AIDS, this almost always represents an esophageal ulcer.
- In such patients, associated chest pain may be a concomitant complaint.
- Upper endoscopy is mandatory for a specific diagnosis.
- Rarely, Candida esophagitis may result in severe odynophagia, but more typically is milder and dysphagia is prominent.
