title: HIV-associated sensory neuropathy: risk factors and genetics.
abstract: HIV-associated sensory neuropathy (HIV-SN) remains a common neurological complication of HIV infection despite the introduction of effective antiretroviral therapies. Exposure to neurotoxic antiretroviral drugs and increasing age have consistently been identified as risk factors for HIV-SN, while comorbid conditions with underlying predisposition to cause peripheral neuropathy (eg, diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, isoniazid exposure), ethnicity, and increasing height also have been implicated. Genetic association studies have identified genes affecting mitochondrial function and genes involved in the inflammatory response that modify the risk for HIV-SN among patients exposed to neurotoxic antiretrovirals. However, there is a lack of data on clinical, demographic, and genetic risk factors for HIV-SN in the modern era, with the rate of HIV-SN remaining unacceptably high despite the introduction of safer medications. Thus, more work is required to identify the principal factors that increase an individual's risk for HIV-SN so that effective preventative or therapeutic strategies can be implemented.
authors.affiliation: Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, South Africa. peter.kamerman@wits.ac.za
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Kamerman
authors.forename: Antonia L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wadley
authors.forename: Catherine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cherry
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors