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. 2001 Jun;77(3):199–201. doi: 10.1136/sti.77.3.199

Symptomatic HIV seroconverting illness is associated with more rapid neurological impairment

M Wallace 1, J Nelson 1, J McCutchan 1, T Wolfson 1, I Grant 1
PMCID: PMC1744314  PMID: 11402229

Abstract

Objectives: To establish whether symptomatic seroconverting illness in HIV infected people is associated with more rapid development of neurological impairment.

Methods: 166 HIV infected subjects with a known date of HIV infection enrolled in a longitudinal study of neurocognitive function were stratified by whether or not they had experienced a symptomatic serconverting illness.

Results: 29 of 166 (17.5%) dated HIV seroconverters had a history of symptomatic seroconverting illness. Though baseline neurocognitive function was similar, subjects with a symptomatic seroconverting illness developed clinical neurocognitive impairment significantly more rapidly than their asymptomatic counterparts in a survival analysis model (636 v 1075 days till impaired).

Conclusion: Symptomatic seroconverting illness predisposes to more rapid neurocognitive impairment.

Key Words: HIV; seroconverting illness; neurocognitive impairment

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Selected References

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