title: HIV-1 infection and nervous system abnormalities among a cohort of intravenous drug users.
abstract: A group of 109 HIV seropositive and 51 seronegative intravenous drug users was evaluated for the presence of HIV-1-related neurologic disease using clinical, neurologic, neuropsychological, and electrophysiologic evaluations. About 80% of HIV seropositive subjects had less than two constitutional symptoms. CD4 cell counts were less than 500/mm3 among 56% of seropositive participants; three individuals were receiving zidovudine. Neurologic abnormalities were found frequently among the cohort, independently of HIV-1 serostatus; electrophysiologic abnormalities were uncommon. Participants from both serologic groups scored significantly lower on neuropsychological tests as compared with norms established for a cohort of homosexual men, and there was no clear association between HIV-1 serostatus and performance on these tests. This study suggests that HIV infection was not the dominant cause of neurologic abnormalities among the study cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Royal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Updike
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Selnes
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nance-Sproson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vlahov
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Cornblath
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McArthur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology