Prevalence of Peripheral Neuropathy and associated factors in HIV-infected patients.
The progress on HIV infection treatment has allowed a longer survival for HIV-infected patients. However, chronic comorbidities are emerging. Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) represents one of the most prevalent neurologic disorders among these patients, and comprehensive studies may contribute to a reduction in the morbidity of this condition. This is a cross-sectional analytic study conducted in a tertiary referral hospital in southern Brazil. This study investigates the prevalence of PN among HIV-infected patients and associated demographic, clinical and laboratory variables. A number of 150 HIV-infected patients admitted between January and May 2016 were interviewed, submitted to physical and neurological examination, and data from their medical records were obtained. The prevalence of PN was 31.3%. It was increased among older patients (p=0.02), patients with higher CD4 lymphocytes levels (p=0.02), and smokers (OR=3.4; 95% CI 1.6-6.9; p<0.01). The research identified a high prevalence of PN in HIV-infected patients. Older age and higher CD4 levels have been associated with PN. To the best of our knowledge, this was one of the first studies reporting an association between tobacco use and PN among HIV-infected patients. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the pathological mechanisms linking PN and tobacco.
Division of Neuropathology, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Rua Professora Maria Flora Pausewang, Trindade, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil.
Maria Luiza Areal Corrêa de Sá E
MLACSE
Benevides
Hospital Nereu Ramos (HNR), Rua Rui Barbosa, Agronômica, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil.
Sérgio Beduschi
SB
Filho
Division of Neurology, UFSC, Rua Professora Maria Flora Pausewang, Trindade, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Rodrigo
R
Debona
Division of Neurology, UFSC, Rua Professora Maria Flora Pausewang, Trindade, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Eduardo Novaes Costa
ENC
Bergamaschi
Division of Neuropathology, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Rua Professora Maria Flora Pausewang, Trindade, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil; Neurodiagnostic Brasil-Diagnósticos em Neuropatologia, Rua Santos Saraiva, Estreito, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil. Electronic address: jeanmedic@hotmail.com.
Jean Costa
JC
Nunes
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence
AIDS; CD4 lymphocyte count; HIV; Peripheral Neuropathy; Prevalence; Tobacco use