Determinants of Neurocognitive Impairment in HIV in a Cohort of Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy Followed in Bangui (Central African Republic)

Infection with HIV is one of the deadliest epidemics of our time and its type is widespread in the Central African Republic. It is frequently accompanied by neurological complications. Objective: To contribute to a better understanding of neurocognitive disorders in patients living with HIV (PLHIV) in Bangui, and to identify associated factors using the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS) as a screening tool. We conducted a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study from 1 December 2014 to 30 January 2015, in a cohort of patients seen on one of the supported sites in Bangui. A total of 400 patients were received in follow-up visit during the study period of which 244 met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of neurocognitive disorders was 25%, 95% CI [19.70 - 30.92]. The mean age of subjects was 42.77 ± 9.58 with extremes ranging from 24 - 64 years. The sex ratio (F/M) was 4.5 in. The average score for different tests was 10.93 ± 1.13 with extremes of 7 and 12. The disorder was more about the gestural sequence. Determinants of neurocognitive disorders in the cohort were older age and lower educational level (p < 0.05). It is useful to conduct further studies to confirm these results by combining a battery of neuropsychological tests to recommend this test for all the support sites of PLHIV in the country.