Neurological findings in a group of children and adolescents exposed and infected by HIV-1

• Published in: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria 2005-09, Vol.63 (3B), p.828-831
• Main Authors: Rocha, Cristiane, Gouvêa, Aída, Machado, Daisy, Cunegundes, Kelly, Beltrão, Suênia, Bononi, Fabiana, Succi, Regina Célia
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; por
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Distribution; Brazil; Central Nervous System Viral Diseases - complications; Central Nervous System Viral Diseases - physiopathology; Child; Child, Preschool; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Developmental Disabilities - etiology; Developmental Disabilities - physiopathology; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Female; HIV Infections - complications; HIV-1; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Humans; Infant; Male; Reflex, Abnormal - physiology; Retrospective Studies; Sex Distribution
• ISSN: 0004-282X
• DOI: 10.1590/S0004-282X2005000500020

The CNS infection by HIV-1 in infancy could be present immediately after infection or became manifest later. Microcephalia, mental retardation, pyramidal signs, humor and behavioral disorders and antiretroviral therapy complications are common. This is an observational, sectional and descriptive study about findings on neurological examination of 173 patients in a group of children and adolescents infected and exposed to HIV-1 in perinatal period. Most of them had more than one neurological finding or different diagnosis. The more common findings were: encephalopathy, mental retardation, language delay, pyramidal signs, hyporeflexia. The neurological examination was abnormal in 67% of all patients even in seroreverters. We suggest that this group has a high risk to neurological disease and the development of co-morbidity is directly correlated to clinical deterioration by HIV-1 infection.