DOI: 10.36347/sasjm

Pages: 211-217

The prevalence of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated neurocognitive disorder is increasing worldwide despite the widespread use of antiretroviral therapy. Mood disorders are also widely reported among HIV seropositive patients. Cognitive and mood disorders are associated with poor drug compliance and worsening morbidity and mortality among HIV seropositive patients. Frequency of cognitive impairment ranges from 30 to over 45% in different reports. Studies have reported a frequency of depression greater than 50% in a cohort of patients. We conducted a Cross-sectional study which enrolls one hundred and twenty six HIV seropositive patients visiting a special treatment clinic. Cognitive function was assessed using the community screening instrument for dementia (CSID) and Trail making test A (TMTA). Anxiety and depression was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The mean age of the participants was 39.1 (8.87). We observed a male to female ratio of 2:1. All subjects had at least a primary school education. The prevalence of cognitive impairment based on CSID and TMTA was 19.6% and 19.8% respectively. Based on HADS 7.9% had borderline anxiety; 4.8% had anxiety; 5.6% had borderline depression, while 4.8% were depressed. We also an inverse relationship between cognitive function and the age of the patients (t= -2.35; p=0.024). Our study observed a high prevalence of cognitive impairment among HIV seropositive patients in the special treatment clinic.