OBJECTIVE: Define the neurocognitive features of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) presenting with dementia, and compare with other causes of rapidly progressive dementia (RPD). BACKGROUND: PCNSL can present as an RPD. Differentiating PCNSL from other RPDs is critical because lymphomatous dementia may be reversible, and untreated PCNSL is fatal. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis of case reports of dementia from PCNSL (between 1950 and 2013); 20 patients (14 with lymphomatosis cerebri) met our criteria. We compared these patients to a case series of patients with RPD from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and other non-PCNSL etiologies (Sala et al, 2012. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 26:267-271). RESULTS: Median age was 66 years (range 41 to 81); 70% were men. Time from symptom onset to evaluation was <6 months in 65%. No patients had seizures; 5%had headaches; 45% had nonaphasic speech difficulty. There was significantly more memory impairment in patients with PCNSL than other RPDs and significantly less myoclonus and parkinsonism. Behavioral changes and cerebellar signs were not significantly different. Significantly more patients with PCNSL than other RPDs had white matter changes; significantly fewer had atrophy. Elevated CSF protein and pleocytosis were more frequent in PCNSL; patients with other RPDs tended to have normal CSF ± 14-3-3 protein. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike patients with RPD from other causes, those with PCNSL commonly present with impaired memory, apathy, and abnormal speech and gait, without headache, seizure, or myoclonus. White matter changes and CSF abnormalities predominate. Improved clinical awareness of PCNSL can prompt earlier diagnosis and treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Background. Both population- and individual-level benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are contingent on early diagnosis and initiation of therapy. We estimated trends in disease status at presentation to care and at ART initiation in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods. We searched PubMed for studies published January 2002–December 2013 that reported CD4 cell count at presentation or ART initiation among adults in sub-Saharan Africa. We abstracted study sample size, year(s), and mean CD4 count. A random-effects meta-regression model was used to obtain pooled estimates during each year of the observation period.Results. We identified 56 articles reporting CD4 count at presentation (N = 295 455) and 71 articles reporting CD4 count at ART initiation (N = 549 702). The mean estimated CD4 count in 2002 was 251 cells/µL at presentation and 152 cells/µL at ART initiation. During 2002–2013, neither CD4 count at presentation (β = 5.8 cells/year; 95% confidence interval [CI], −10.7 to 22.4 cells/year), nor CD4 count at ART initiation (β = −1.1 cells/year; 95% CI, −8.4 to 6.2 cells/year) increased significantly. Excluding studies of opportunistic infections or prevention of mother-to-child transmission did not alter our findings. Among studies conducted in South Africa (N = 14), CD4 count at presentation increased by 39.9 cells/year (95% CI, 9.2–70.2 cells/year; P = .02), but CD4 count at ART initiation did not change.Conclusions. CD4 counts at presentation to care and at ART initiation in sub-Saharan Africa have not increased over the past decade. Barriers to presentation, diagnosis, and linkage to HIV care remain major challenges that require attention to optimize population-level benefits of ART.
BACKGROUND: Depression is a risk factor for nonadherence to HIV/AIDS treatment.
PURPOSE: A meta-analysis was conducted to examine whether treatment of depression and psychological distress improves antiretroviral therapy adherence.
METHODS: PubMed and PsycINFO databases were systematically searched for relevant articles. Studies that reported an association between depression treatment (or an intervention with a component addressing mental health) and antiretroviral adherence were included.
RESULTS: Across 29 studies of 12,243 persons living with HIV/AIDS, treatment of depression and psychological distress improved antiretroviral adherence (p < 0.001). The odds of a person adhering were 83 % better if he/she was treated for depression. Greater improvements in adherence were found for samples with lower CD4 counts or more severe depression, for interventions specifically targeting depression (versus addressing mental health as a secondary objective), longer treatments, and observational studies.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the need for detection and treatment of depression among persons living with HIV/AIDS.
BACKGROUND: The clinical status of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive persons at the time of presentation to medical care has important individual- and population-level implications.
METHODS: We synthesized the literature on clinical status of adults newly presenting to care for HIV infection in developed countries to generate an estimate of the time trend for CD4 cell count at the initiation of HIV care. We systematically searched PubMed for studies published between January 2000 and November 2011 to identify those that reported CD4 cell count for patients newly presenting to HIV care according to standardized inclusion criteria. We abstracted the mean or median CD4 cell count or reconstructed the mean CD4 cell count from the presented data describing the number or proportion of patients in CD4 cell count categories. We estimated the change in CD4 cell count over time by modeling it as a weighted linear function of calendar year.
RESULTS: Based on a meta-regression of 197 point estimates encompassing CD4 cell count measurements from 169 007 patients in 44 studies, mean CD4 cell count at presentation increased minimally by 1.5 cells/μL per year (95% CI, -6.1 to 5.5 cells/μL per year), from 307 cells/μL in 1992 to 336 cells/μL in 2011.
CONCLUSIONS: In developed countries, patients' CD4 cell counts at first presentation to medical care have not increased meaningfully over the past 20 years. New and innovative strategies are imperative to identify persons earlier in the course of their infection and link them promptly with medical care.
OBJECTIVE: A 'test and treat' strategy to reduce HIV transmission hinges on linking and retaining HIV patients in care to achieve the full benefit of antiretroviral therapy. We integrated empirical findings and estimated the percentage of HIV-positive persons in the United States who entered HIV medical care soon after their diagnosis; and were retained in care during specified assessment intervals.
METHODS: We comprehensively searched databases and bibliographic lists to identify studies that collected data from May 1995 through 2009. Separate meta-analyses were conducted for entry into care and retention in care (having multiple HIV medical visits during specified assessment intervals) stratified by methodological variables. All analyses used random-effects models.
RESULTS: Overall, 69% [95% confidence interval (CI) 66-71%, N = 53 323, 28 findings] of HIV-diagnosed persons in the United States entered HIV medical care averaged across time intervals in the studies. Seventy-two percent (95% CI 67-77%, N = 6586, 12 findings) entered care within 4 months of diagnosis. Seventy-six percent (95% CI 66-84%, N = 561, 15 findings) entered care after testing HIV-positive in emergency/urgent care departments and 67% (95% CI 64-70%, N = 52 762, 13 findings) entered care when testing was done in community locations. With respect to retention in care, 59% (95% CI 53-65%, N = 75 655, 28 findings) had multiple HIV medical care visits averaged across assessment intervals of 6 months to 3-5 years. Retention was lower during longer assessment intervals.
CONCLUSION: Entry and retention in HIV medical care in the United States are moderately high. Improvement in both outcomes will increase the success of a test and treat strategy.
Define the neurocognitive features of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) presenting with dementia, and compare with other causes of rapidly progressive dementia (RPD).
BACKGROUND:
PCNSL can present as an RPD. Differentiating PCNSL from other RPDs is critical because lymphomatous dementia may be reversible, and untreated PCNSL is fatal.
METHODS:
We performed a meta-analysis of case reports of dementia from PCNSL (between 1950 and 2013); 20 patients (14 with lymphomatosis cerebri) met our criteria. We compared these patients to a case series of patients with RPD from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and other non-PCNSL etiologies (Sala et al, 2012. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 26:267-271).
RESULTS:
Median age was 66 years (range 41 to 81); 70% were men. Time from symptom onset to evaluation was <6 months in 65%. No patients had seizures; 5%had headaches; 45% had nonaphasic speech difficulty. There was significantly more memory impairment in patients with PCNSL than other RPDs and significantly less myoclonus and parkinsonism. Behavioral changes and cerebellar signs were not significantly different. Significantly more patients with PCNSL than other RPDs had white matter changes; significantly fewer had atrophy. Elevated CSF protein and pleocytosis were more frequent in PCNSL; patients with other RPDs tended to have normal CSF ± 14-3-3 protein.
CONCLUSIONS:
Unlike patients with RPD from other causes, those with PCNSL commonly present with impaired memory, apathy, and abnormal speech and gait, without headache, seizure, or myoclonus. White matter changes and CSF abnormalities predominate. Improved clinical awareness of PCNSL can prompt earlier diagnosis and treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
