A Study on Pattern of Neurological Complications in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infected Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Center in South Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT

background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy and adequate chemoprophylaxis for opportunistic infections for humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients have led to increasing survival in people living with HIV/AIDS. The nervous systemis among the most frequent and serious targets of HIV infection. 40–70% of all persons infected with HIV develop symptomaticneurological disorders. This study was undertaken to study the diverse clinical presentations of neurologic abnormalities in HIVpatients admitted in a tertiary care center in South Tamil Nadu.Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted for 2 years in HIV-infected patients who were admitted at a tertiarycare hospital were subjected to thorough neurological evaluation and those with symptoms referring to neurological illnesswere enrolled, and clinical signs and symptoms were noted. CD4 counts of all the cases were performed by FACS counter,and neuroimaging study was performed on necessary cases.Results: A total of 71 cases with 74.6% males and 25.4% females were enrolled. Mean age for males 34.6 years; for females31.1 years. Headache was the most common symptom (67.3%) followed by altered sensorium (40.8%). Central nervous system(CNS) tuberculosis (TB) is the most common disease in patients presenting with neurological abnormalities (42.25%). Thereis a significant correlation between the levels of CD4 counts and the type of neurological manifestations.Conclusions: Incidence of neurological illness in HIV infection was 41.7%. Opportunistic infections are the leading cause ofneurological disorders in our population. Meningitis was the most common neurological presentation (57.7%). TB is the singlemost common organism affecting CNS (42.2%).