Mild cognitive impairment and risk of mortality in HIV-1 infection

HIV-1-associated cognitive impairment has only been preliminarily investigated for associations with mortality. The authors examined 119 HIV-l-positive homosexual men (asymptomatic: n = 96; early symptomatic: n = 23). At follow-up (to 3.5 years), there were 105 survivors and 14 nonsurvivors. Those at the 25th percentile in response speeds and in long-term memory retrieval accuracy were at 6.4 (P<0.02) and 3.5 (P<0.05) times increased mortality risk, respectively, of those at the 75th percentile-independent of base-line CDC clinical stage, CD4 cell count, hemoglobin level, antiretroviral and prophylactic medication use, and sociodemographics, Cognitive impairment should be identified early-for maximization of both functional status and survival time.