Prevalence and socio-demographic factors associated with lower-extremity peripheral neuropathy among HIV-infected adult patients on antiretroviral therapy.

Abstract

Abstract
This study analysed data from a large cohort of HIV-infected persons to determine the proportion of adult patients who developed peripheral neuropathy (PN) of the lower extremities after initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and further identify the socio-demographic factors associated with the condition. A retrospective cohort study was conducted analysing prospectively and routinely-collected demographic and clinical data of HIV-infected adults initiated on ART at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospital Family Care Center (PGH-FCC). Participants’ data were extracted from an electronic patient management database (ePOC). A total of 1 546 records were eligible for the retrospective analysis. The majority of the data records were from female patients (61.5%), and the age range of patients was between 18 and 81 years. The majority of the data extracted was from HIV-infected patients who were married (53.0%), living in the high-density suburbs (52.0%), had reached secondary school (71.7%), and were employed (67.5%). Of the1 546 patient records analysed, 190 (12.3%) HIV-infected patients on ART had a physician-based diagnosis of PN (95% CI=10.8%-14.0%). The most common symptoms reported by patients with PN were sensations of burning type of pain in the legs/ feet and paraesthesia. Being divorced (OR=1.66; p=0.001), unemployed (OR=2.86; p<0.01), residing in high density suburbs (OR=1.98; p<0.01), no education (OR=8.21; p=0.014) and having attained primary education (OR=1.92; p=0.014 were all associated with reports of PN. The study findings link the occurrence of PN among HIV-infected persons on ART with advancing age, socio-economic and educational status.