NEUROCOGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN A NEWLY DIAGNOSED HIV POSITIVE PATIENT WITH ADVANCED DISEASE

Adriana Hristea ^1,2, I.D. Olaru ¹, M. Lazăr ^1,2, M. Ion ¹, Ana Maria Petrescu ¹,
Victoria Aramă ^1,2, Ruxandra Moroti ^1,2
1 National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Prof. Dr. Matei Balş”, Bucharest, Romania
² “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania

Abstract

Central nervous system involvement is relatively common in HIV infected patients ranging from subclinical neurological impairment to progressive dementia with a major impact on daily life and severe and potentially fatal opportunistic infections. We discuss the case of a newly diagnosed patient with advanced HIV infection presenting with neurological symptoms and a mild cognitive impairment. He had a low CD4 count (47 cells/mm3) and high plasma and cerebral spinal fluid viral loads (414.382 copies/ml and 141.040 copies/ml, respectively). The MRI showed symmetric periventricular white matter lesions. Findings were consistent with the diagnosis of HIV-associated mild neurocognitive disorder. New classification of the HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders and current treatment recommendations are also discussed.