CONTROL OF POSTURE IN PATIENTS WITH NEUROLOGICALLY ASYMPTOMATIC HIV-INFECTION AND PATIENTS WITH BEGINNING HIV-1-RELATED ENCEPHALOPATHY

Objective: Stance control measurements (sway velocity, sway area, and postural reflexes) were performed in 36 patients with neurologically a symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and in 10 pat ients with beginning HIV type 1 (HlV-1)-related encephalopathy phalopa thy. All recordings were performed using a movable platform system. Ob servations: Static posturography and postural reflexes revealed pathol ogic results in patients with beginning HIV-1-related encephalopathy a nd in about 25% of patients with nonsymptomatic HIV infection in compa rison with age- and sex-matched control subjects. Conclusions: Postura l control is well preserved in early HIV infection; thus, it is not an appropriate measure for detecting subclinical deficits, but disturban ces of postural control seem to be one of the first neurological abnor malities in patients with beginning HIV-1-related encephalopathy.