Neuroimaging and pediatric HIV

Over the past 20 years, the introduction and widespread use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has transformed the HIV epidemic from a nearly universally fatal disease into a chronic, manageable illness.1–3 Since HIV was first described in the 1980s, neurocognitive complications have been commonly described but are now better recognized as being an important feature of the disease in children and adolescents. New infections continue to occur in children and adolescents worldwide, and there are currently over 2 million children and adolescents infected with HIV. Most children and adolescents with HIV receiving cART do not develop opportunistic infections, but with longer survival are vulnerable to chronic complications of HIV, including progressive cognitive impairment and early onset cerebrovascular disease.4 Thus, children and adolescents with HIV represent one of the largest populations in the world at high risk of developing neurologic disorders as young adults.

Source: Neurology Clinical Practice - October 13, 2019 Category: Neurology Authors: Bearden, D. R., Gheuens, S. Tags: All Imaging, HIV, All Pediatric Editorial Source Type: research