Stopped: Slower than expected recruitment
Patients infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are at risk of brain related complications despite the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Such complications are termed HIV neurocognitive disorders (HAND) and comprise a spectrum from asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI), through mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to severe HIV dementia (HAD). Prior to HAART approximately 30% of patients with advanced HIV disease had cognitive impairment; with HAART the incidence of HAND has decreased but its prevalence increased. The reasons for the ongoing development of cognitive impairment in HAART treated patients are not clear. They might relate to virus induced brain injury prior to starting HAART, the onset of a separate neurological process, toxicity related to HAART, or ongoing viral infection in the brain. It is clear that the ability of different antiretroviral drugs to penetrate the brain varies but what is not established is whether these differences between drugs lead to different neurological outcomes. The investigators propose to study HIV infected patients stable on HAART for 12 months; subdividing the groups according to the brain penetrance of their drug combination. Patients would undergo neuropsychological assessment and MRI brain scan at the start of the study and after 12 months. Differences in neuropsychological tests and MRI would be sought between treatment groups to establish whether HAART with better CNS penetration is associated with better outcome and fewer MRI changes.
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Change in Neurocognitive Functioning
Timeframe: Change from baseline Neuropsychological testing at 6 and 12 months