title: The relationship between race and HIV-distal sensory polyneuropathy in a large cohort of US women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HIV-distal sensory polyneuropathy (HIV-DSPN) is a common complication of HIV infection, yet race as a potential risk factor is not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between April and October 2009, as part of the NIH Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), 1414 women, 973 of whom were HIV-infected, were clinically evaluated for peripheral neuropathy. Utilizing available clinical, laboratory, and sociodemographic variables, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of factors associated with HIV-DSPN. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors independently associated with HIV-DSPN.
  
  
  RESULTS
  36% of HIV-infected women met our definition of HIV-DSPN. 41.3% of African Americans, 34.8% of Whites and 24.7% of Hispanics had DSPN. Age, Hepatitis C-co-infection, and diabetes were each significantly associated with HIV-DSPN. After controlling for age, diabetes, Hepatitis C co-infection, alcohol use, current dideoxy-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor use, current CD4 count, and plasma HIV viral load, HIV-DSPN was significantly associated with ethnicity; the odds ratio was 1.67 (p=0.001) in African-Americans compared to other racial groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of HIV-DSPN in women was lower than reported in prior studies. The likelihood of HIV-DSPN was higher in African-Americans compared to other racial groups. HIV-DSPN was more common in those co-infected with Hepatitis C, older individuals, and diabetics. Further prospective studies are needed to explore the relationship between gender, race, and HIV-DSPN, and the mechanistic basis for racial differences.
authors: Department of Neurology, SUNY-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203-2098, USA. yanziska@downstate.edu
authors: Yaacov
authors: Y
authors: Anziska
authors: Elizabeth P
authors: EP
authors: Helzner
authors: Howard
authors: H
authors: Crystal
authors: Marshall J
authors: MJ
authors: Glesby
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Plankey
authors: Kathleen
authors: K
authors: Weber
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Golub
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Burian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000208:ethnology*