A prospective comparison of neuropsychologic function in HIV-seropositive and seronegative methadone-maintained patients.
A prospective longitudinal study of neuropsychological and psychosocial functioning in a methadone-maintained population was initiated to test the hypothesis that cognitive impairments may be present early in the course of HIV infection, before the onset of other physical symptoms. A total of 220 methadone-clinic patients without evidence of HIV-related illnesses were given baseline psychological screening tests, as well as serological testing for HIV antibodies. At baseline, 83 (38%) had antibodies to HIV and 137 (62%) did not. On initial testing, controlling for race/ethnicity, age, sex and drug use, the seropositives were more cognitively impaired than the seronegatives. The differences were statistically significant for three subtests on univariate analysis: finger tapping (dominant), digit span (forward) and similarities. Ninety-one patients whose current serological status was known were given follow-up neuropsychological and psychosocial assessments after a mean interval of 7.4 months from baseline testing. At follow-up, seropositives continued to be more cognitively impaired than seronegatives, but there was no deterioration in the performance of the initial seropositives over the time interval.
McKegney
F P
FP
Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
O'Dowd
M A
MA
Feiner
C
C
Selwyn
P
P
Drucker
E
E
Friedland
G H
GH
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001741:Black or African American; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012944:Social Support; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D044465:White People
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D008691:Methadone