Second Department of Neurology, AHEPA University General Hospital--Department of Neurosciences, 37782Aristotle University--School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Third Department of Psychiatry, AHEPA University General Hospital-Department of Mental Health, 37782Aristotle University--School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Int J STD AIDS. 2022 Oct;33(11):978-986. doi: 10.1177/09564624221119305. Epub 2022 Aug 17.
Peripheral neuropathy is among the most common complications among people with HIV with prevalence rates varying widely among studies (10-58%).
This study aims to assess the prevalence of HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy among HIV-positive people in Northern Greece monitored during the last 5-year period and investigate possible correlations with antiretroviral therapy, disease staging, and potential risk factors, as there is no prior epidemiological record in Greek patients.
Four hundred twenty patients were divided into a group with peripheral neuropathy ( = 269), and those without ( = 151). Peripheral neuropathy was assessed with a validated Peripheral Neuropathy Screening tool. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS, were two-tailed, and -value was set at 0.05.
The incidence of peripheral neuropathy was estimated at 35.9%. Age was found to correlate with higher odds of developing HIV-peripheral neuropathy, rising by 4%/year. Females encountered 77% higher probability to develop peripheral neuropathy. Stage 3 of the disease associated with higher occurrence of peripheral neuropathy (96% as compared to stage-1 patients). Among patients with peripheral neuropathy, the duration of antiretroviral therapy was found to be longer than in those without.
Peripheral neuropathy remains one of the most common complications regardless of the antiretroviral-therapy type, indicating the involvement of other risk factors in its occurrence, such as the stage of the disease, age and gender. Therefore, the treating physician should screen patients as early and frequently as possible upon HIV-diagnosis to prevent the progression of this debilitating condition so that prolonged life-expectancy is accompanied by a good quality of life.
周围神经病变是 HIV 感染者最常见的并发症之一，其患病率在不同研究中差异很大（10-58%）。
本研究旨在评估过去 5 年期间在希腊北部监测的 HIV 阳性患者中与 HIV 相关的周围神经病变的患病率，并调查与抗逆转录病毒治疗、疾病分期和潜在危险因素的可能相关性，因为在希腊患者中没有先前的流行病学记录。
将 420 名患者分为周围神经病变组（=269 名）和无周围神经病变组（=151 名）。使用经过验证的周围神经病变筛查工具评估周围神经病变。使用 SPSS 进行统计分析，采用双侧检验，p 值设为 0.05。
周围神经病变的发病率估计为 35.9%。年龄与发生 HIV 周围神经病变的几率呈正相关，每年增加 4%。女性发生周围神经病变的几率高出 77%。疾病的 3 期与周围神经病变的发生率较高相关（与 1 期患者相比为 96%）。在有周围神经病变的患者中，抗逆转录病毒治疗的持续时间比没有周围神经病变的患者长。
无论抗逆转录病毒治疗类型如何，周围神经病变仍然是最常见的并发症之一，表明在其发生中涉及其他危险因素，如疾病的分期、年龄和性别。因此，治疗医生应在 HIV 诊断后尽早、频繁地对患者进行筛查，以防止这种使人衰弱的疾病的进展，从而使预期寿命延长的同时伴随着良好的生活质量。
