RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To review the neurologic manifestations of AIDS in all children and adolescents who were seen by specialist doctors at 2 centers in Santos, Brazil, over the past 7 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Files of all patients aged 17 and under who were infected by HIV and admitted to 2 specialized AIDS centers between 1990 and 1997 were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 239 children and adolescents admitted to AIDS centers, 20 presented with a variety of neurologic complications, including focal motor signs, altered tonus, retarded neurodevelopment, cognitive disturbances, intractable headache, seizures, and coma. Opportunistic infections were the exception, an important difference from the adult population of the same area. CONCLUSION: Neurologic complications of AIDS in children and adolescents in the city of Santos, Brazil, were relatively unusual, found in less than 10% of this population. The neurologic involvement did not increase the mortality of these children and adolescents. These finding may be attributable to the quality of diagnoses, treatment, and follow-up of children infected with HIV by specialized professionals in adequate institutions.
