Assessment of neurological soft signs in pediatric patients with HIV infection

Background: Children and adolescents comprise a significant proportion of people living with HIV. The effects of HIV on the growing brain have generated interest among researchers in this field. Deficits arising during this crucial phase of neuromaturation due to HIV infection need to be assessed an...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Indian journal of psychiatry 2018-04, Vol.60 (2), p.229-235
Main Authors: Eiman, Najla, Raman, Rajesh, Mothi, S, Sathyanaryana Rao, T, Khan, Nawab, Kunusegaran, Vaishnawi, Krishnan, R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Brain research
Child development
Children
Children & youth
Comparative analysis
Gait
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus
Hyperactivity
Infections
Intellectual disabilities
Intelligence tests
Learning disabilities
Malnutrition
Memory
Neurologic manifestations
Original
Pediatric HIV infections
Pediatric research
Pediatrics
Sociodemographics
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background: Children and adolescents comprise a significant proportion of people living with HIV. The effects of HIV on the growing brain have generated interest among researchers in this field. Deficits arising during this crucial phase of neuromaturation due to HIV infection need to be assessed and addressed. Neurological soft signs (NSSs) can act as a proxy marker for underlying neuropsychological deficits. The present study aims to study the NSSs in pediatric patients with HIV and compare with healthy controls (HCs). Materials and Methods: Forty-eight children aged between 6 and 16 years diagnosed with HIV were selected by purposive sampling, and the Physical and Neurological Examination of Soft Signs (PANESS) scale was applied. Fifty children matched by age and sex were recruited from a nearby school, and the PANESS scale was applied. Children were divided into age- and gender-specific groups. The outcome scores of cases and controls groups were compared. Results: Males and females aged 13-16 years with HIV showed more soft signs as compared to HCs, with respect to gait errors, dysrhythmia, impersistence, speed of repetitive and sequenced movements, overflow with gaits, overflow with sequenced movements, total overflow, and overflow in excess of age. The differences in scores were less marked in younger age groups among both the genders. Conclusions: The persistence of NSSs in older age group in HIV-infected children may point toward the presence of HIV-associated neurological disorder.
ISSN:0019-5545
1998-3794
DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_283_17