Association between Clinical Stage of HIV and Peripheral Sensory Neuropathy

Abstract

Introduction: Several factors that contributed in the incidence of peripheral sensory neuropathy in HIV patients, including the number of Cluster of Differentiation 4 (CD4) lymphocytes, high HIV viral load, opportunistic infections and clinical stage of HIV.5 The aim of this study was to analyze the association between clinical stage of HIV to peripheral sensory neuropathy.

Method: This research was a descriptive study with a cross-sectional design, conducted in General Hospital of Haji Adam Malik Medan during June to October 2023. Brief Peripheral Neuropathy Screening tool validated by AIDs Clinical trial group was used for screening peripheral sensory neuropathy. The variable to be analyzed in this study was clinical stage of HIV disease. Research data were analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical Product and Science Service) program for Windows, version 26. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted. Univariate analysis aimed to obtain the characteristics of the study subjects. The chi square test was used to determine the association between clinical stage of HIV to peripheral sensory neuropathy.

Results: There were 83 subjects eligible for this study, in which 62,7% were males, with the mean age of the patients was 39,4+9,6 years. A total of 47 subjects (56.6%) were stage III and 36 subjects (43.4%) were stage IV. There was a significant association between clinical stage of HIV and peripheral sensory neuropathy in HIV positive patients with p value <0.001.

Conclusion: There was a significant association between clinical stage of HIV to sensory peripheral neuropathy.