Peripheral Neuropathy Associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Lee, Min Hwan; Lim, Young-Min; Pyun, So Young; Kim, Jimin; Kim, Kwang-kuk

Ann Clin Neurophysiol > 2012 ;14(1) > Article

Ann Clin Neurophysiol. 2012; 14(1): 29-35.

Min Hwan Lee, Young-Min Lim, So Young Pyun, Jimin Kim, and Kwang-kuk Kim

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ABSTRACT

Background: Peripheral neuropathy is the most frequent neurological complication in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)infection, related with diverse etiologies including inflammation, opportunistic infection and side effects of medications. Thepurpose of the present study was to evaluate characteristics of HIV associated neuropathy according to the stage of HIVinfection.
Methods: In reviewing the medical records of HIV patients who underwent electrodiagnostic studies between 1997and 2011, total 11 patients (all males; median age, 47 years; range, 28-71 years) with comorbid neuropathy were enrolled. Stageof HIV infection was categorized according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. Classificationof peripheral neuropathy was based on clinical and electrophysiological features.
Results: Distal symmetric polyneuropathywas observed in 8 patients (72.7%), inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy in 2 patients (18.1%), and polyradiculopathyin 1 patient (9.1%). Median CD4+ T cell count was 123/mm3 (range, 8-540/mm3) and 7 patients (60%) had the mostadvanced HIV disease stage (CDC-C3). There was no neuropathy caused by CMV infection.
Conclusions: Distal symmetricpolyneuropathy was the most common type of neuropathy in HIV infection, but various forms of neuropathy such asinflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and polyradiculopathy were also present. HIV associated neuropathy is morefrequently associated with advancing immunosuppression, although it can occur in all stages of HIV infection.

Key words: Human immunodeficiency virus, Peripheral neuropathy, Inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, Polyradiculopathy