Neuropsychological profile of patients with infectious disease: characterization and comparison of patients with HIV, HTLV, and HCV.

Understanding the effect of the HIV, HTLV-1, and HCV viruses on cognitive aspects can help in the better characterization of dementia, as well as the best conducts to be suitable for rehabilitation. Thus, the present study aimed to characterize and compare the neuropsychological profile of 3 groups of patients with infectious diseases: HIV, HTLV, and HCV. The results of neuropsychological assessments and depression assessment of 325 people treated at a referral hospital for infectious diseases were analyzed, being 120 HIV carriers (74 (61.7%) men) with an average age of 47.5 years (SD = 10.3), 65 patients with HTLV-1 (16 (24.6%) men) with a mean age of 49.9 years (SD = 12.9), and 87 HCV patients (47 (54%) men) with a mean age of 55.5 years (SD = 11.2). In addition, 54 people (26 (48.1%) men) with negative serology who made up the control group were evaluated. The results of the statistical evaluation of the sociodemographic factors of the four groups (HIV, HTLV-1, HCV, and control) showed that in addition to age, schooling was a significant factor among them and may have a strong influence on the performance of cognitive tests. The HTLV-1 group had the lowest neurocognitive performance and also the highest rate of depressive symptoms.

Prevalence of cognitive impairment in HIV patients: vertical and horizontal transmission.

Antiretroviral treatment has significantly increased the survival of patients infected with HIV-1. However, with increased survival, cognitive changes associated with HIV are frequently observed in this population. The clinical manifestations of HIV changes can vary as a result of several aspects, including the virus transmission route. Several studies have pointed out premature neurological changes in vertically infected patients, while the manifestation of cognitive damage in adults may take a longer time. Objective: The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of cognitive changes in patients with HIV via vertical transmission after the highly active antiretroviral therapy and the cognitive performance of these patients compared to a group of sexually infected patients. Methods: A total of 48 patients were evaluated, 25 with vertical transmission and 23 with sexual transmission, between May 2013 and February 2015 at the Institute of infectology Emilio Ribas. Neuropsychological tests were applied to assess cognitive performance, scales to assess symptoms of anxiety and depression, and sociodemographic questionnaire. Results: The results demonstrate that the frequency of cognitive impairment in vertically transmitted patients was higher than in sexually transmitted patients. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the deleterious effects of the HIV virus on the development of the central nervous system reverberate more strongly than in patients who acquire it after adulthood.

O tratamento antirretroviral tem aumentado significativamente a sobrevida de pacientes contaminados pelo HIV-1. Entretanto, com o aumento da sobrevida, observam-se frequentemente alterações cognitivas associadas ao HIV nessa população. As manifestações clínicas das alterações do HIV podem variar em decorrência de diversos aspectos, entre eles a via de transmissão do vírus. Diversos estudos têm apontado alterações neurológicas prematuras em pacientes contaminados por via vertical, enquanto a manifestação de danos cognitivos em adultos pode levar um tempo maior. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a prevalência das alterações cognitivas em pacientes com HIV via transmissão vertical após a era da terapia antirretroviral altamente ativa e o desempenho cognitivo desses pacientes comparado ao de um grupo de pacientes contaminados por via sexual. Métodos: Foram avaliados 48 pacientes, sendo 25 com transmissão vertical e 23 com transmissão sexual no período entre maio de 2013 e fevereiro de 2015, no Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas. Foram aplicados testes neuropsicológicos para avaliar o desempenho cognitivo, escalas para avaliar sintomas de ansiedade e depressão e questionário sociodemográfico. Resultados: Os resultados demonstraram que a frequência de comprometimento cognitivo em pacientes contaminados via transmissão vertical foi maior do que naqueles contaminados via transmissão sexual. Conclusões: Essas descobertas sugerem que os efeitos deletérios do vírus HIV na formação do sistema nervoso central repercutem de forma mais acentuada do que em pacientes que o adquiriram após a vida adulta.

High prevalence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in São Paulo City, Brazil / Alta prevalência de desordem neurocognitiva associada ao HIV (HAND) na Cidade de São Paulo, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) are the subject of many studies, some of them reporting a prevalence of up to 50 percent. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with HIV neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in a cohort of HIV-1-infected patients in São Paulo city, Brazil. METHODOLOGY: Descriptive cross-sectional study including 106 HIV-1-infected patients, employing direct interview and neuropsychological tests, applied by trained neuro-psychologists with expertise in the tests. Other, similar assessment tools we used were Brief Neurocognitive Questionnaire, International HIV Dementia Scale, Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Social Support Scale for People with HIV/Aids, Assessment of Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Questionnaire, and a complex neuropsychological assessment. RESULTS: We included 106 patients from May 2015 to April 2018. We found a high prevalence of HAND in our patients (45%), with 27.5% presenting asymptomatic neurological impairment (ANI) and 17.5% mild neurological dysfunction (MND); only one patient presented HIV-associated dementia (HAD) (0.9%). Women were more likely to have MND (52.9%) and the only case of HAD was also female. The high prevalence of neurocognitive disorders was independent of the immunological status, use of efavirenz, or virological control. CONCLUSIONS: This study may mirror the national and international scenarios, showing a high prevalence of HAND (45%) and the prevalence of some risk factors, in special among women

INTRODUÇÃO: As doenças neurocognitivas associadas ao HIV (HAND), são o assunto de muitos estudos, alguns deles relatando uma prevalência de até 50 por cento. OBJETIVOS: Determinar a prevalência e os fatores associados aos distúrbios neurocognitivos do HIV (HAND) em uma coorte de pacientes infectados pelo HIV-1 na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil. METODOLOGIA: Estudo transversal descritivo incluindo 106 pacientes infectados pelo HIV-1, utilizando entrevista direta e testes neuropsicológicos, aplicados por neuropsicólogos treinados com experiência nos testes. Foram utilizados também: Questionário Neurocognitivo Breve, Escala Internacional de Demência do HIV, Atividades Instrumentais de Vida Diária de Lawton, Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão, Escala de Apoio Social para Pessoas com HIV / Aids, Avaliação da Adesão à Terapia Antiretroviral Questionário e uma bateria de avaliação neuropsicológica complexa. RESULTADOS: Foram avalaidos 106 pacientes de maio de 2015 a abril de 2018. Foi observado uma alta prevalência de HAND em nossos pacientes (45%), com 27,5% apresentando comprometimento neurológico assintomático (ANI) e 17,5% comprometimento cognitive leve (MND); apenas um paciente apresentou demência associada ao HIV (DAH) (0,9%). As mulheres eram mais propensas a ter MND (52,9%) e o único caso de HAD também era do sexo feminino. A alta prevalência de distúrbios neurocognitivos foi independente do estado imunológico, uso de efavirenz ou controle virológico. CONCLUSÕES: Este estudo pode espelhar o cenário nacional e internacional, mostrando uma alta prevalência de HAND (45%) e a prevalência de alguns fatores de risco, em especial entre as mulheres