title: High prevalence of undiagnosed anxiety symptoms among HIV-positive individuals on cART: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anxiety disorders are frequent in HIV-infected individuals, can pre-exist or occur during HIV infection. We evaluated with a self-reported questionnaire whether anxiety is related to HIV clinical status and therapeutic success in a cohort of HIV-positive subjects in Sicily.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 251 patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) for at least six months; Self Rating Anxiety State SAS 054 was used to diagnose anxiety and a Z score ≥ 45 points was considered diagnostic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  47% of patients were diagnosed with anxiety. Patients showing symptoms related to anxiety had experienced a high number of therapeutic switches (fourth line or more).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data confirm a high prevalence of anxiety symptoms among subjects with HIV infection in Eastern Sicily. Physicians should be aware of the extent of the problem and should be able to adequately manage anxiety in the setting of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. bmcelesia@tin.it.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Celesia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nigro
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pinzone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coco
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: La Rosa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bisicchia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mavilla
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gussio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellicanò
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Milioni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Palermo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Mughini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martellotta
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taibi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cacopardo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nunnari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012802:Sicily / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents