title: Cognitive Function among HIV Infected Children in Pune.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess cognitive function of school-aged, perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected, antiretroviral therapy (ART) naïve children in Pune.
  
  
  METHODS
  HIV infected ART naïve children (n = 50) between 6 and 12 y attending outpatient clinic were administered the Indian Child Intelligence Test (ICIT) after their clinical evaluation. Age and gender matched HIV uninfected children (n = 50) were enrolled as controls. The test battery included measures of perception of form (Gestalt), concept formation, memory span, learning and remembering, associative memory span, transformation of visual field, quantitative concepts, spatial visualization and visual motor coordination. The information on adaptive behavior was obtained from the care giver and a brief interview with the child using Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the children was 9.3 y (SD: 1.3) and mean education was 4.3 y (SD: 1.3). The mean CD4 count of HIV infected children was 588 cells/mm(3) (SD: 324.4). There was no significant difference in the overall ICIT scores between HIV infected and uninfected children (p 0.209). The adaptive behavior (VSMS) scores were significantly less in HIV infected children as compared to others (p 0.028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant difference in the overall cognitive abilities in HIV infected children using ICIT as compared to HIV uninfected children, although significant difference in the adaptive behavior between the two groups was observed. It is important to conduct larger prospective studies using standardized test batteries that are inclusive of multiple cognitive domains sensitive to HIV effects in Indian children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, National AIDS Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra, India, mghate@nariindia.org.
authors.forename: Manisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghate
authors.forename: Harshita
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narkhede
authors.forename: Girish
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rahane
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nirmalkar
authors.forename: Nitin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gaikwad
authors.forename: Dileep
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kadam
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents