No association between Apoε4 alleles, HIV infection, age, neuropsychological outcome, or death.

The ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene may have important interactions with physical health and cognitive function among individuals with HIV disease. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between ε4, HIV disease, age, neuropsychological impairment, and death in a large, well-characterized study sample. A total of 2846 men participating in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study had ApoE genotyping and neuropsychological test data available for analysis.

Cohort Profile: Recruitment cohorts in the neuropsychological substudy of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

The Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) is one of the largest and longest running studies of the natural and treated history of HIV disease. The Neuropsychological (NP) substudy was begun in 1988 following reports of significant adverse neurological consequences of HIV disease, including dementia. The goal was to characterize the neuropsychological deficits among individuals with HIV disease, and track the natural history of the neurological complications over time.

Effects of coinfection with HIV and hepatitis C virus on the nervous system.

We evaluated a cohort of persons with late-stage HIV infection currently enrolled in a longitudinal tracking study to determine whether coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with a greater prevalence and/or severity of HIV-associated cognitive-motor complex and distal predominantly sensory peripheral polyneuropathy compared with persons with HIV infection alone. Of 159 subjects, 31 tested positive for HCV, and this group was compared with 31 randomly selected subjects with HIV infection alone. All subjects underwent a structured neurological examination and a formal neuropsychological testing battery.

Stability of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA in cerebrospinal fluid determined with the AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR test, version 1.5 (ultrasensitive).

We evaluated the effects of time, temperature, freezing, and thawing on the cerebrospinal fluid viral load by using the Roche AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR test, version 1.5 (ultrasensitive). While a statistically significant decrease from the baseline was observed at 24 h, but not at 6 or 12 h, and with one freeze-thaw cycle, all changes were within the range of intra-assay variability.