Liver fibrosis is associated with cognitive impairment in people living with HIV.

Purpose: Our aim was to better explore the association between liver fibrosis (LF) and neurocognitive impairment (NCI) in people living with HIV (PLWH).

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional cohort study by consecutively enrolling PLWH at two clinical centers. All subjects underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological battery; NCI was defined as having a pathological performance (1.5 SD below the normative mean) on at least two cognitive domains. LF was explored using FIB4 index; in a subgroup of PLWH, LF was also assessed by transient elastography.

Results: A total of 386 subjects were enrolled, of whom 17 (4.4%) had FIB4 > 3.25. In the subgroup of PLWH (N = 127) performing also liver transient elastography, 14 (11%) had liver stiffness > 14 kPa. Overall, 47 subjects (12%) were diagnosed with NCI. At multivariate regression analyses, participants with FIB4 > 1.45 showed a higher risk of NCI in comparison with those with lower values (aOR 3.04, p = 0.044), after adjusting for education (aOR 0.71, p < 0.001), past AIDS-defining events (aOR 2.91, p = 0.014), CD4 cell count, past injecting drug use (IDU), HIV-RNA < 50 copies/mL, and HCV co-infection. Also a liver stiffness > 14 kPa showed an independent association with a higher risk of NCI (aOR 10.13, p = 0.041). Analyzing any single cognitive domain, a higher risk of abnormal psychomotor speed was associated with a liver stiffness > 14 kPa (aOR 223.17, p = 0.019) after adjusting for education (aOR 0.57, p = 0.018), HIV-RNA < 50 copies/mL (aOR 0.01, p = 0.007), age, past IDU, and HCV co-infection.

Conclusions: In PLWH, increased LF, estimated through non-invasive methods, was associated to a higher risk of NCI independently from HCV status.