Neurological complications in patients with HIV/AIDS.

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of HIV-related neurological disorders in HIV positive patients and its relationship to CD4 cell counts in Georgia. This study included 388 HIV/AIDS patients (302 men and 86 women), who have been admitted to the in-patient Department of Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center (IDACIRC) of Georgia since 2006. Diagnosis of neurological disorders was made based on clinical symptoms and instrumental-laboratory investigations. CNS Neurological complications were detected in 76 patients; 13 patients had two or more neurological complications. Tuberculosis meningitis were the most common neurological disorders 26 (34%), followed by CNS toxoplasmosis 17 (22%), cryptococcal meningitis 11 (15%), presumed CMV encephalitis 5 (7%), PML 4 (5%), primary CNS lymphoma 4 (5%) and bacterial meningitis 3 (4%). AIDS related dementia was detected in 18 patients (24%). The median CD4+ T lymphocyte count was 47 cells/mm(3) (range: 2-183 cells/mm(3)) in HIV patients with neurological complications. There was correlation between the CD4 T lymphocyte count and type of neurological manifestation. Namely, in the patients with HIV related dementia median CD4 T lymphocyte count was 164 cells/mm(3), in the patients with CNS toxoplasmosis median CD4 count was 83 cells/mm(3), in the patients with cryptococcal meningitis median CD4 T lymphocyte count was 34 cells/mm(3) and in the patients with CMV encephalitis median CD4 T lymphocyte count was 26 cells/mm(3). Some neurological disorders such as TB meningitis and bacterial meningitis can occur at any CD4 level. PML and primary CNS lymphoma occurred when CD4 T lymphocyte count < 50 cells/mm(3). The most common clinical manifestations of neurological disorders in HIV infected patients were headache (91%), fever (75%), focal neurological deficits (61%), speech disturbances (42%), cognitive dysfunction (41%), visual disturbances (36%), impaired coordination (29%) and seizures (15%). The study provide convincing evidence that neurological disorders with HIV infection might serve as an indicator for advanced HIV infection, immunosuppression and decreased CD4 cell counts. Our data have shown correlation between the type of neurological manifestations of HIV infection and CD4 T lymphocyte count.