The Neurology of Hiv Infection: H Manji, R Miller

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THE NEUROLOGY OF HIV INFECTION

H Manji, R Miller
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J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2004; 75(Suppl I):i29i35. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2003.034348

ince the onset of the AIDS pandemic in 1981, infection with the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) has spread exponentially throughout the world with currently an estimated 40
million adults and children affected. Worldwide there are approximately 16 000 new
infections per day. Every day 8000 HIV infected patients die. In the UK, there are currently about
50 000 individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
Since the introduction of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), in communities where
this is available, HIV/AIDS has become a chronic disorder with dramatic reductions in mortality
and morbidity both from the effects of HIV itself as well as from opportunistic infections and
tumours.
In the UK, the clinician will encounter two broad groups of patients. The first group comprises
individuals who have been infected with HIV for a number of years and are receiving HAART.
This group is composed largely of homosexual men and those who acquired their infection in the
UK. The second group consists of patients who present with opportunistic infections and tumours
and who have late stage HIV infection. This is a situation that was previously encountered in the
late 1980s and early 1990s. This cohort largely consists of men and women infected by
heterosexual intercourse outside Europe.

See end of article for authors


affiliations
_________________________
Correspondence to:
Dr Hadi Manji, The Mortimer
Market Clinic, Capper Street,
off Tottenham Court Road,
London NW1, UK;
[email protected]
_________________________

CLINICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS


HIV is neuro-invasive (with invasion occurring early in the course of the infection), neurovirulent (causing a neuropathy, myopathy, myelopathy, and dementia), but it is not especially
neurotrophic. The virus is rarely isolated from neurones either in the peripheral or central nervous
system. Productive infection is usually found within the associated inflammatory infiltrate,
predominantly macrophages.
Since all areas of the neuro-axis in an HIV infected individual may be affected by different
aetiological agents, the clinical assessment of this group of patients may be more complex than
assessment of the immune competent patientthe principle of Ocams Razor may not be
applicable (table 1). Furthermore, dual infections frequently co-exist in the immunosuppressed
population and this must be borne in mind when following up patients and in assessing a
treatment response. For example, one study from Kenya showed that additional infection
occurred in 18% of cases of tuberculous meningitis.
A symptomatic glandular fever-like syndrome occurs in up to 70% of cases at HIV
seroconversion. In 10% this may be associated with neurological symptoms and signsfor
example, an aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, transverse
myelitis, polymyositis, brachial neuritis or a cauda equina syndrome. Guillain Barre syndrome has
been described at seroconversion and also during the asymptomatic immunocompetent phase of
HIV infection; however, whereas usually CSF examination shows evidence of cytoalbuminaemic
dissociation, in HIV infected individuals, there is a pleocytosis.
During the asymptomatic phase of HIV infection, when there is no clinically apparent
immunosuppression, there is no evidence of neurological compromise either in the central (CNS)
or peripheral nervous systems. This has been determined by a number of large cohort studies
using clinical, neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
methods of assessment. However, before the introduction of HAART, in up to 5% of cases HIV
dementia was the AIDS defining illness; thus HIV infection should be considered in any patient,
especially below the age of 50 years, presenting with cognitive dysfunction. HIV infection should
also enter in the differential diagnosis of young stroke since it may be associated with a
vasculitis or a thrombophillic state with detectable anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus
anticoagulant.
There may be clues to underlying HIV infection that will be found on careful general history
and examination pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO), unexplained weight loss or diarrhoea,
generalised lymphadenopathy, oral hairy leucoplakia, oral candidiasis, seborrhoeic dermatitis,
molluscum contagiosum, Kaposis sarcoma (which may only be present on the hard palate), or

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Table 1 Common neurological complications of HIV-1


infection

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c Due to HIV
Distal sensory peripheral neuropathy (DSPN)
HIV dementia (HAD)
Vacuolar myelopathy (usually in association with HAD)
HIV polymyositis
c Opportunistic infections
Toxoplasmosis
Cryptococcal meningitis
Tuberculosismeningitis, abscesses, tuberculoma
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) encephalitis, retinitis, lumbar
polyradiculopathy, vasculitic peripheral neuropathy
Progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML)
c Tumours
Primary CNS lymphoma
Metastatic systemic lymphoma
c Drug related complications
Peripheral neuropathy caused by ddI, ddC and d4T; isoniazid
Myopathy (zidovudine)

cotton wool spots on fundoscopy. Investigations may show


an unexplained thrombo- or lymphopaenia, or an elevated
erythrocyte sedimentation rate due to the polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia associated with HIV infection. Brain
imaging studies may reveal unexplained cerebral atrophy.
Cerebrospinal examination may be abnormal even in
asymptomatic HIV infected patients. A mild cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF) pleocytosis, an elevated CSF protein, and oligoclonal bands can all be found in such patients. On the other
hand, as a result of HIV induced immunosuppression, the
CSF cytochemical parameters may be entirely normal. The diagnosis of meningitic and encephalitic disorders therefore relies
on specific tests on CSF such as the detection of cryptococcal antigen (by latex agglutinationCrAg) for cryptococcal

Table 2

meningitis or CSF VDRL (venereal disease research laboratory) in suspected neurosyphilis (a negative test does not
exclude the diagnosis, whereas a non-reactive CSF-FTA (fluorescent treponemal antibody) does exclude active infection).
Before HAART, the CD4 count was a useful guide in
attempting to determine the specific aetiologies of the
opportunistic infections and tumours. For example, toxoplasmosis and cryptococcal meningitis occur with CD4 counts
below 200 cells/mm3; CMV retinitis, encephalitis, and polyradiculopathy occur with CD4 counts , 50 cells/mm3.
Following institution of HAART, there is usually a rise in
peripheral blood CD4 counts, although these cells may not all
be fully functional (since some of the antigen specific clones
are lost). HAART has led to a number of complications
hitherto not encountered in HIV medicine. These include
immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) which
has been defined as a paradoxical deterioration in clinical
status attributable to recovery of the immune system.
Clinically, within a few weeks of starting treatment there
may be an exacerbation or an unusual manifestation of a
specific infection. Neurological reconstitution syndromes
described include progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML), cryptococcal meningitis, and cytomegalovirus
(CMV) syndromes such as encephalitis and retinitis.
More recently, a rare, severe leucoencephalopathy has been
described in patients who failed treatment with HAART.

MANAGEMENT OF MASS LESIONS


In the context of significant immunosuppression (CD4,200/
mm3), the most common causes of mass lesions are toxoplasmosis, primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL), and tuberculous
granulomata or tuberculous abscesses (fig 1). Although brain
biopsy remains the gold standard, with increasing experience
standard management protocols have been developed. An

Drug treatment regimens for the common CNS infections

Infection
Toxoplasmosis
Acute phase (for 6 weeks)
First line treatment:
Pyrimethamine loading dose (100 mg orally for
3 days, then 75 mg/day)
+
Sulfadiazine 68 g/day orally/iv
+
Folinic acid 15 mg/day
Second line treatment:
Clindamycin 600900 mg/day by mouth/iv instead
of sulfadiazine
Maintenance treatment
Pyrimethamine 2550 mg/day
+
Sulfadiazine 24 g/day
+
Folinic acid 10 mg/day
Clindamycin 600 mg/day instead of sulfadiazine
Cryptococcal meningitis
Acute phase treatment for 46 weeks or until CSF
culture negative
Amphotericin B 0.71.0 mg/kg/day (via central line)

Flucytosine 100150 mg/kg/day orally


In milder cases
Fluconazole 400 mg iv/orally
Maintenance treatment
Fluconazole 200400 mg/day orally

Side effects

Marrow suppression

Rash, nephrotoxicity, marrow suppression

Rash, diarrhoea

Nephrotoxicity, anaemia, hepatitis, marrow suppression

Rash, hepatitis

Stopping maintenance may be considered if after HAART is started the CD4 count remains above 200/mm3 for
over four months.

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NEUROLOGY IN PRACTICE

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Figure 1

Management of mass lesions (CD4 count , 200/mm3).

overall assessment using data from serological and radiological investigations may help in differentiating between
the possible aetiologies. The country of origin may also be
helpful, particularly with respect to the likelihood of
tuberculosis and to a lesser extent toxoplasmosis. However,
even in areas where tuberculosis is endemic, the most
common cause of a mass lesion(s) is toxoplasmosis. See
table 2 for the drug treatment regimens for toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasma serology
In HIV, toxoplasmosis is almost always a reactivation and
serology is positive in 85% of cases. Seronegative cases occur
as a result of loss of antibody with increasing immunosuppression or rarely a primary infection. The prevalence of

previous exposure in a population varies worldwide and


reflects dietary habits with respect to eating undercooked
meatin France . 90% compared to 35% in the UK.
Radiological studies
Toxoplasmosis usually causes multiple lesions located at the
grey/white interface or involves the basal ganglia. A single
lesion on MRI is more likely to be due to PCNSL as is a lesion
adjacent to the ventricles (fig 2). Tuberculous abscesses
have similar imaging appearances to toxoplasmosis, whereas
tuberculomata tend to be smaller lesions with less mass
effect (fig 3) The chest x ray is abnormal in up to 60% of
cases with CNS tuberculosis. PML does not produce mass
effect.

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NEUROLOGY IN PRACTICE

Table 3 Prognostic markers for cryptococcal meningitis


c Abnormal mental status
c CSF opening pressure .25 cm CSF
c CSF cryptococcal antigen titre .1:1024
c CSF white cell count ,20 cells/ml
c Extra-neural culture of cryptococcus

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is EBV driven; PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis is positive


in 60% of tuberculous abscesses, and granulomata may occur
in association with a tuberculous meningitis.

CRYPTOCOCCAL MENINGITIS

Figure 2 Primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL): single lesion adjacent to


the lateral ventricle.

Thallium SPECT scans


Thallium SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) scans may help differentiate between abscesses and
lymphomathere is increased uptake in the latter but false
negatives and positives occur.
CSF examination
Lumbar puncture is usually contraindicated in most patients
with lesions causing mass effect. However, if there are no
contraindications, CSF studies are useful in the diagnosis of
PCNSL. The detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) by
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is diagnostic as this tumour

Figure 3 A small ring enhancing lesion is more suggestive of a


tuberculoma, as seen on this contrast enhanced coronal MRI.

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Before the introduction of HAART, meningitis caused by


Cryptococcus neoformans was a common complication in
patients with CD4 counts below 100/mm3. This ubiquitous
organism is particularly found in the excreta of pigeons.
Pulmonary infection, usually asymptomatic, occurs by
inhalation followed by haematogenous spread to the
meninges. Patients present with a short history of headache,
fever, nausea, and vomiting. Only one third of patients will
have the classic features of meningismphotophobia, neck
stiffness, and a positive Kernigs sign. The threshold for
performing brain imaging studies followed by CSF examination should be low in HIV infected patients presenting with
non-specific symptoms such as mild headache.
In 20% of cases there may be evidence of extraneurological
involvement with diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, lobar consolidation or cavitating lesions on chest x ray, skin lesions
(small papules which may resemble molluscum contagiosum), and infection of the urinary tract.
Brain imaging is usually normal but may reveal hydrocephalus, cryptococcomas or basal meningeal enhancement.
At lumbar puncture, CSF pressure is frequently elevated. In
most cases there is a moderate mononuclear cell pleocytosis,
an elevated protein, and a low glucose. In 25% of cases, the
CSF may be normal. The diagnosis is established by the
identification of India ink positive hyphae in 75% and the
detection of cryptococcal antigen in 95% of cases.

Figure 4 Progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy: T1 weighted


coronal MRI showing a low attenuation lesion in the white matter of the
left cerebellar hemisphere.

NEUROLOGY IN PRACTICE

Neurology of HIV infection: key points


c
c
c
c

Figure 5 Progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy: T2 weighted


axial MRI showing a high signal lesion within the white matter of the left
cerebellar hemisphere.

A number of prognostic markers have been identified


(table 3). For drug treatment regimens see table 2.
A complication that needs close vigilance is the development of raised intracranial pressure, unrelated to hydrocephalus,
accompanied by loss of vision. This should be managed by
repeated lumbar puncture with high volume CSF removal
and, when indicated, the placement of a lumbar or
ventricular drain. Acetozolamide, but not corticosteroids,
has a significant adjunctive role.

PROGRESSIVE MULTIFOCAL
LEUCOENCEPHALOPATHY
PML is caused by the reactivation of the Jamestown Canyon
virus (JCV), a common polyoma virus, which infects 75% of
the general population. It is usually a mild childhood
respiratory tract infection. Cell mediated immunity is the
chief predisposing factor for the development of PML, and
before the AIDS epidemic was generally encountered in
patients with lymphoproliferative disorders or those treated
with immunosuppressive drugsfor example post-transplant surgery and sarcoidosis.

Abbreviations
CMV: cytomegalovirus
CNS: central nervous system
CT: computed tomography
EBV: Epstein-Barr virus
DSPN: distal sensory peripheral neuropathy
HAART: highly active anti-retroviral therapy
HAD: HIV dementia
HIV: human immunodeficiency virus
JCV: Jamestown Canyon virus
MRI: magnetic resonance imaging
NCT: nerve conduction tests
NRTI: nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor
PCNSL: primary CNS lymphoma
PCR: polymerase chain reaction
PML: progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy

Neurological complications are seen at all stages of HIV


infection
Many of the neurological complications of HIV are
treatable
Ocams Razor does not apply in assessment of HIV
patients
Highly active anti-retroviral therapy has substantially
altered the patterns of neurological disease in patients
with HIV

HIV induced immunosuppression currently accounts for


85% of cases of PML. Before HAART, 5% of AIDS patients
developed PML with CD4 counts usually below 100/mm3.
After HAART, although the incidence of most neurological
complications such as HIV dementia have declined, it is not
clear whether there has been a similar reduction in PML.
However, it does seem that PML is more prevalent in HIV
infection than expectedunderlying reasons may be related
to increased activation of JCV by the HIV proteins. The
pathological changes result from replication of the virus
within the oligodendrocytes, causing lysis and demyelination. It is unclear whether PML within the CNS results from
reactivation of the virus following immunosuppression or is
caused by invasion of the CNS by infected lymphocytes from
the peripheral circulation.
The clinical presentation is subacute with a progressive
hemiparesis, hemianopia or ataxia. Cognitive dysfunction
usually occurs with focal neurological signs. Cortical involvement may occasionally result in dysphasia and seizures. By
contrast with other more common causes of focal intracranial
lesions in HIV infected patients such as toxoplasmosis, there
are usually no symptoms or signs of systemic infection or
raised intracranial pressure.
Cranial computed tomography (CT) shows hypodense
lesions. Typically, MRI shows large single or multiple lesions
involving white matter, with scalloping at the grey/white
interface. The parieto-occipital and frontal lobes are most
commonly affected. The affected areas are low signal on T1
weighted images (fig 4) and hyperintense on T2 weighted
sequences (fig 5). This may help distinguish PML from HIV
dementia. There is no mass effect. Some contrast enhancement may be seen which has been identified as a good
prognostic marker.
Until recently the diagnosis was only possible by brain
biopsy with the histological demonstration of demyelination,
enlarged oligodendrocyte nuclei with JCV inclusion particles
and bizarre enlarged astrocytes. It is now possible to isolate
JCV-DNA in the CSF by PCR with a sensitivity of 75% and
almost complete specificity. It may be necessary to repeat the
CSF examination in PCR negative cases (raising the yield to
85%) before considering stereotactic brain biopsy.
The treatment of PML in patients with HIV is two pronged:
improving the underlying immunosuppression with HAART,
and anti-JCV therapy. Institution of the former has resulted
in fourfold prolongation of survival, with patients neurological status stabilising or even improving.
A number of drugs have been shown to have anti-JCV
activity and have been tried with variable success. Cytosine
arabinoside (AraC) given intravenously or intrathecally
confers no significant benefit. The use of a interferon was
prompted by its antiviral and immune enhancing effect in a

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NEUROLOGY IN PRACTICE

Table 4

HAART related drug toxicities

Drug
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)
Class associated
Drug specific
Zidovudine
Stavudine (d4T)
Zalcitabine (ddC)
Didanosine (ddI)
Lamivudine (3TC)
Non-NRTIs
Efavirenz

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Nevirapine
Protease inhibitors
Class associated
Drug specific
Nefinavir
Indinivir
Ritonivir
Amprenivir
Lopinivir

pre-HAART retrospective open labelled observational study.


About one third of patients showed some neurological benefit
with some also showing radiological improvement.
The anti-CMV drug cidofovir used in conjunction with
HAART has shown, in a number of small studies, increased
neurological improvement or stability when compared to
HAART alone. There was also faster clearance of the virus
from the CSF. However, others have failed to confirm this
finding. Cidofovir has a number of serious side effects:
nephrotoxicity due to a dose dependent renal tubular
acidosis, neutropenia, and ocular hypotonia. The results of
larger, better controlled studies are awaited.
A number of other drugs that are also currently undergoing
study include topotecan and chlorpromazine, both of which
suppress replication of JCV in vitro.

HIV DEMENTIA
Prior to HAART, HIV developed in 20% of patients with AIDS.
The risk factors identified included low CD4 count, high
plasma viral load, older age group, intravenous drug use,
female sex, and constitutional symptoms such as anaemia.
Since HAART, the incidence of HAD has been reduced by 50%
although the prevalence has increased as a result of improved
survival.
The clinical features of HIV dementia (HAD) in the early
stages may be mild with symptoms of poor concentration,
mental slowing, and apathy which may mimic depression.
Later on, as the syndrome progresses, more specific cognitive
changes develop with memory loss and personality change
associated with motor and sphincter difficulties as a result of
an associated vacuolar myelopathy. Examination may show
impaired saccadic eye movements, generalised hyperreflexia,
and cerebellar and frontal release signs.
Investigations are indicated to exclude other causesMRI
typically shows evidence of atrophy and diffuse white matter
signal changes. The CSF shows non-specific cytochemical
abnormalities but must be examined for conditions such as
neurosyphilis, CMV, and PML. The CSF viral load correlates
with severity of the dementia. However, this test is not
sensitive enough for diagnostic purposes.
Neuropsychological assessment typically shows abnormalities in the following cognitive domains: psychomotor speed,

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Toxicity
Lactic acidosis, hepatic steatosis, lipodystrophy
Myelosuppression, myopathy
Peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy, pancreatitis
? Neuropathy
Dysphoria, mood changes, vivid dreams,
hypercholesterolaemia
Hepatitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Lipodystrophy, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes
Diarrhoea
Nephrolithiasis
Perioral dysaesthesia, flushing, diarrhoea, hyperuricaemia
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea

attention, frontal lobe function, and verbal and non-verbal


memory.
Pre-HAART, the mean survival rate for patients with HAD
was one year. Since HAART, most patients stabilise or
improve. Although there are concerns as to whether the
various antiretroviral drugs actually cross the bloodbrain
barrier, no specific HAART regimen has been shown to be
superior in the management of HAD. Adjuvant treatments
such as selegine and memantine are under trial.

PERIPHERAL NERVE COMPLICATIONS


Whereas there has been a decline in other neurological
complications, the incidence and prevalence of peripheral
neuropathy has increased as a result of increased longevity
and the use of neurotoxic antiretroviral therapies.
The most common peripheral nerve disorder encountered
due to HIV is a distal sensory peripheral neuropathy (DSPN).
The prevalence rate pre-HAART was estimated to be around
35% and at necropsy, 95% of patients had sural nerve
pathological abnormalities.
Risk factors for the development of DSPN include higher
HIV viral load and lower CD4 counts. Patients with other
neuropathic risk factors such as diabetes, excess alcohol
intake, and genetic neuropathies may be more liable to
develop the complication.
The presentation is with painful, numb feet. A significant proportion of patients complain of hyperpathia.
There is little or no weakness and the upper limbs are
usually not involved. Abnormal neurological signs include
depressed or absent reflexes and impaired sensation to
pain and temperature characteristic of a small fibre neuropathy. Nerve conduction tests (NCT) may be normal or
show mild axonal abnormalities. Thermal thresholds are
abnormal.
Since clinically DSPN is reasonably well defined further
investigations are usually not necessary. It seems prudent to
check a random blood glucose and a vitamin B12 value. In
cases where on examination there are signs of significant
weaknesssuch as a foot drop or presence of prominent
upper limb involvementNCT and nerve biopsy should be
considered to exclude vasculitis, demyelinating neuropathies,
and lymphomatous infiltration.

NEUROLOGY IN PRACTICE

The nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)


didanosine (ddI), zalcitabine (ddC), and stavudine (d4T)
have all been shown to cause a dose dependent peripheral
neuropathy (table 4). The association with lamivudine (3TC)
is less well documented. Zidovudine causes a myopathy when
used in high doses but does not cause a neuropathy.
Mitochondrial toxicity from inhibition of DNA polymerase
may be the underlying mechanism for NRTI related side
effects. The same mechanism could also account for the other
side effects with this class of drugpancreatitis, fulminant
hepatic failure, and lactic acidosis. Abnormal fat distribution
(lipodystrophy), in which there is fat wasting around the
buttocks, face, and limbs, and internal viscera disposition
with distension, is associated with both NRTIs and protease
inhibitors.
The clinical presentation of these antiretroviral drug
related neuropathies is similar to that seen with DSPN.
However, the drug related neuropathies are more likely to be
painful, have an abrupt onset, and rapidly progress. After
stopping the culprit antiretroviral drug, there may be a
paradoxical worsening of neuropathic symptoms over a
period of 48 weeks (coasting). An improvement of
symptoms can be expected in some but not all as some
may be left with the underlying DSPN that has been
unmasked by the drug treatment.
The risk of neuropathy is increased when combinations of
drugs are usedfor example, when hydroxyurea is used to
potentiate the antiretroviral effects of ddI and d4T. The risk of
isoniazid induced neuropathy is higher when used in
combination with the antiretroviral drugs.
As with the treatment of painful sensory neuropathy in
general, the management of this group of patients can be
difficult. The development of a painful sensory neuropathy is
a significant cause of morbidity and poor drug compliance. If
the patient is on one of the three neurotoxic drugs (ddI, ddC
or d4T), the issue of stopping the drug needs to be discussed
with the patient and their HIV physician. In practice, this
may be a difficult decision, especially if there has been a good
virological response and CD4 has significantly risen. Also
lowering the dose of an offending drug raises the possibilities
of HIV viral resistance.

The drugs used in the symptomatic treatment of DSPN


and the antiretroviral related neuropathies are those used
in all painful neuropathies. Gabapentin, which has been
shown to be effective in diabetic neuropathy, is first line
treatment although there are no published data to date in
HIV related neuropathies. A starting dose of 300 mg at
night can be gradually increased to 300 mg three times
daily. A maximum dose of up to 2.4 g per day should be
tried if tolerated. There is no interaction with the antiretroviral drugs which is an important consideration when
introducing any new drug in this group of patients. Lamotrigine has been shown to reduce pain scores in a small
placebo controlled trial. The starting dose was 25 mg/day
for two weeks gradually titrating the dose to 150 mg daily.
Other drugs that merit consideration include amitriptyline,
starting at 10 mg at night, even though one trial failed to
show any group benefit.

..................
Authors affiliations
H Manji*, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen
Square, London, UK
R Miller, Royal Free and University College School of Medicine, London,
UK
*Also at the Ipswich Hospital, Ipswich, UK

REFERENCES
1 Brew B. HIV neurology. Contemporary Neurology Series. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2001.
c An excellent reference book for all those involved in the management

of HIV/AIDS patients.

2 Seth P, Diaz F, Major E. Advances in the biology of JC virus and


induction of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy. J Neurovirol
2003;9:23646.
c An excellent review of PML which includes a summary of the drug

treatment trials to date.

3 McArthur JC, Haughey N, Gartner S, et al. Human immunodeficiency


virus associated dementia: an evolving disease. J Neurovirol
2003;9:205221.
c An up-to-date review of the subject by the one of the most active

research groups in the field in HIV neurology.

4 Keswani S, Pardo CA, Cherry CL, et al. HIV associated sensory neuropathies.
AIDS 2002;16:2105117.
c An up-to-date review of the most common problem in HIV neurology

clinics.

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