Symptomatic HIV seroconverting illness is associated with more rapid neurological impairment

Objectives: To establish whether symptomatic seroconverting illness in HIV infected people is associated with more rapid development of neurological i mpairment. Methods: 166 HIV infected subjects with a known date of HIV infection enrol led in a longitudinal study of neurocognitive function were stratified by w hether or not they had experienced a symptomatic serconverting illness. Results: 29 of 166 (17.5%) dated HIV seroconverters had a history of sympto matic seroconverting illness. Though baseline neurocognitive function was s imilar, subjects with a symptomatic seroconverting illness developed clinic al neurocognitive impairment significantly more rapidly than their asymptom atic counterparts in a survival analysis model (636 v 1075 days till impair ed). Conclusion: Symptomatic seroconverting illness predisposes to more rapid ne urocognitive impairment.