HEMOPHILIA GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT STUDY - RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL, NEUROLOGICAL, AND MRI FINDINGS AT BASE-LINE

Objective: To determine the effects of human immunodeficiency virus (H IV) infection on children's development by identifying neurological an d environmental variables associated with neuropsychological measures of cognitive development in HIV-seronegative (HIV-) and HIV-seropositi ve (HIV+) children and adolescents with hemophilia. Methods: Participa nts (N = 298; 60% HIV+) were males ages 7-19 years enrolled in the Hem ophilia Growth and Development Study (HGDS). Least squares modeling wa s used to determine whether there was a difference at baseline in mean neuropsychological test scores by HIV status, age, and neurological b aseline findings, adjusting for selected environmental and medical his tory variables. Results: The participants were within age expectations for general intelligence. Variables associated with lowered neuropsyc hological performance included academic problems, coordination and/or gait abnormalities, parents' education, and previous head trauma. Conc lusions: Hemophilia-related morbidity has a subtle adverse influence o n cognitive performance. HIV infection was not associated with neurops ychological dysfunction in this group even when MRI abnormalities were present.