Neurologic disease in human immunodeficiency virus-infected drug abusers
R. Malouf, G. Jacquette, J. Dobkin and J. C. Brust
Department of Neurology, Harlem Hospital Center, New York, NY 10037.
Previous studies of human immuno-deficiency virus-related neurologic
disease have been either retrospective or have included mostly homosexual
patients. We sought to determine (1) the true prevalence of neurologic
abnormalities in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or
lymphadenopathy acquired immunodeficiency-related complex, and (2) whether
differences in prevalence or type of neurological abnormality exist between
parenteral drug abusers and non-parenteral drug abusers. We prospectively
evaluated 190 adult inpatients with either acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (129) or lymphadenopathy acquired immunodeficiency-related complex
(61); 151 (80%) were parenteral drug abusers, and 172 patients (91%) had
neurologic symptoms or signs. There was no significant difference in
prevalence of neurologic disease between parenteral drug abusers and
non-parenteral drug abusers, or between patients with acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome and those with lymphadenopathy acquired
immunodeficiency-related complex. The prevalence of neurologic symptoms in
these patients with lymphadenopathy acquired immunodeficiency-related
complex and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is the highest reported to
date and appears to reflect the prospective nature of the study.
