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HIV
and Hepatitis.com Coverage of the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) July 18 - 23, 2010, Vienna, Austria |
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CHARTER
Study Finds Neurocognitive Impairment Still Common in ART Era, Linked
to Lowest CD4 Cell Count
By Liz Highleyman
CHARTER (CNS HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects Research) is an ongoing cohort study with more than 1000 participants looking at central nervous system (CNS) and neurocognitive manifestations in people with HIV. Prevalence As described in a poster by Robert Heaton and colleagues (abstract THPDB106), the CHARTER team assessed the prevalence of neurocognitive impairment before and after the advent of combination ART among people at various stages of HIV infection. This analysis included nearly 1800 participants who received comprehensive neurological and neuropsychological evaluations; individuals with co-existing conditions known to cause CNS problems were excluded.
Reflecting the aging of the HIV positive population, the average age was just over 30 years in the pre-ART era compared with just over 40 in the ART era (although the ART-era HIV negative control participants were younger). Results
"Neurocognitive impairment remains prevalent despite combination ART," the investigators concluded. "Of interest, more post-combination ART non-AIDS cases have neurocognitive impairment than pre-combination ART." This suggests, they continued, that there are "negative CNS effects of longer survival in a pre-AIDS state during which the brain remains exposed to repeated fluxes in HIV and/or chronic immune stimulation." Risk Factors In a second cross-sectional analysis, presented in a late-breakers session by Igor Grant (abstract THLBB109), CHARTER investigators looked at factors associated with HIV-related neurocognitive problems among 1525 participants evaluated at 6 U.S. university medical centers. Again, participants underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessments covering 7 cognitive domains, or functional areas. Researchers also collected data on co-existing conditions and HIV-related measures including present and past CD4 cell counts, obtained through medical records or self-report. About
three-quarters of the participants were men, about 40% were white, and
the average age was 43 years. About 45% had co-existing conditions considered
contributing causes of cognitive problems. About 70% were currently
on ART and 60% had undetectable plasma viral load. The median current
CD4 count was relatively high, at 420 cells/mm3, but the median CD4
nadir was much lower, at about 170 cells/mm3; about 2 years, on average,
had elapsed since the nadir level was reached.
Based on these findings, the CHARTER investigators concluded, "HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders persist in many patients despite good immune recovery on ART as indexed by current CD4 [count]". However, they added, "HIV+ individuals experiencing low CD4 nadir counts are at greater risk of neurocognitive impairment than those whose CD4 [count] has never been allowed to decline to lower levels." "CD4
nadir may represent a 'legacy event' that contributes substantially
to HIV-related brain injury and neurocognitive impairment," and
may not be fully reversible, they continued. "Prevention of severe
immunosuppression by earlier ART may lead to more favorable neurocognitive
outcomes in HIV+ individuals." THPDB106: University of California, San Diego, CA; Washington University, St. Louis, MO; Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY; Fordham University, New York, NY; University of Washington, Seattle, WA; University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. THLBB109: University of California, San Diego, CA; Washington University, St. Louis, MO; University of Washington, Seattle, WA; University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. 8/6/10 References |
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