Cognitive and affective disorders associated to HIV infection in the HAART era: findings from the NeuroICONA study. Cognitive impairment and depression in HIV/AIDS. The NeuroICONA study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the natural story of HIV-associated affective and cognitive disorders and the relationship with clinical, pharmacological, immunological and behavioural factors.


METHODS
A total of 395 HIV-positive patients, naive to Highly Active Antirectroviral therapy (HAART), with no severe psychiatric disorders have been enrolled in the Neuro-ICONA Study. All participants were administered a comprehensive data collection instrument including an addiction behaviour survey, a medical problem list, a psychiatric assessment, a validated neuropsychological test battery.


RESULTS
The global prevalence of cognitive impairment and of prominent depressive symptomatology were 17.9 and 15.5%, respectively. A significant difference in the prevalence of prominent depressive symptomatology was observed between patients in HAART and those not taking HAART(14.1 vs. 23.8%; P = 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Depressive and cognitive disorders affect a substantial proportion of HIV-seropositive subjects. The prevalence of prominent depressive symptomatology appears to significantly vary in relationship to the therapeutic protocol.
Starace
F
F
Consultation Psychiatry & Behavioural Epidemiology Unit, Cotugno Hospital, Napoli, Italy. starace@libero.it
Bartoli
L
L
Aloisi
M S
MS
Antinori
A
A
Narciso
P
P
Ippolito
G
G
Ravasio
L
L
Moioli
M C
MC
Vangi
D
D
Gennero
L
L
Coronado
O V
OV
Giacometti
A
A
Nappa
S
S
Perulli
M L
ML
Montesarchio
V
V
La Gala
A
A
Ricci
F
F
Cristiano
L
L
De Marco
M
M
Izzo
C
C
Pezzotti
P
P
D'Arminio Monforte
A
A
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence