Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can improve cognitive performance in some patients with HIV-associated cognitive impairment in the United States. The effect of HAART on HIV dementia in sub-Saharan Africa is largely unknown.
Objective: To evaluate neuropsychological test and functional performance in HIV+ individuals after 3 and 6 months of HAART in Uganda.
Methods: Twenty-three HIV+ individuals receiving HAART also received a detailed clinical history, neuropsychological testing, and a functional assessment. Follow-up evaluations were performed at 3 and 6 months after baseline. Longitudinal changes in the HIV dementia stage, the mean Z score for each neuropsychological test, and the Karnofsky Functional Performance Scale were evaluated at 3 and 6 months.
Results: The mean (SD) CD4 cell count improved from 71 (15) at baseline to 161 (30) at 3 months (p = 0.005) and 222 (46) at 6 months (p < 0.001). Improvements were found in the Memorial Sloan Kettering HIV dementia stage and in tests of verbal memory, psychomotor speed, and executive functioning after 3 and 6 months of HAART (p < 0.001 at 6 months for each neuropsychological test). There was also improvement in the Karnofsky Functional Performance Scale at both 3 and 6 months after the initiation of HAART (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can be associated with improvement in neurocognitive and functional performance in HIV+ individuals in sub-Saharan Africa. These results suggest that HAART, if available in areas with limited resources in sub-Saharan Africa, should be provided for patients with HIV-associated cognitive impairment.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000225183.74521.72 | DOI Listing |
Front Public Health
January 2025
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Introduction: HIV self-testing (HIVST) is an innovative strategy that has been shown to increase uptake of HIV testing compared to conventional facility-based testing. HIVST implementation with digital-based supports may help facilitate testing accessibility and linkage to care after a reactive self-test. Economic evidence around community-based implementation of HIVST is growing; however, economic evidence around digital-based HIVST approaches remains limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Public Health
January 2025
Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Psychiatric University Clinic of Charité at St. Hedwig Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
Introduction: Female sex workers are a vulnerable hard-to-reach group. Research in this field is scarce due to several issues, such as methodological difficulties or societal stigmatization. Most of the available literature focuses on sexually transmittable diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: About 39.9 million people were living with HIV as of 2023, and HIV is more prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective in HIV prevention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNiger Med J
January 2025
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria.
Background: Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis viruses B and C have been reported to be endemic in some Nigeria's institutions of higher learning. Several studies have reported varying prevalence rates for hepatitis B and C viruses and HIV among undergraduate students in Nigerian universities.
Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive prevalence study of hepatitis B and C viruses and HIV among students at Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare conducted on the 2nd of December 2023.
Open Forum Infect Dis
January 2025
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Background: The burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hospitalizations is substantial, particularly among people with HIV and HCV. In Ontario, Canada, use of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) increased following policies removing fibrosis-stage restrictions and approving of pangenotypic agents in 2017 and 2018, respectively. We examined the impact of expanded DAA access on HCV-related hospitalizations in people with HIV.
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