Abstract:
Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS) is associated with cognitive impairment which affects psychomotor speed.
Psychomotor slowing is a predictor of dementia and death in people living with HIV and
AIDS. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between HIV disease stage and
psychomotor speed neurocognitive score which will add to the body of knowledge required to
manage patients with HIV and AIDS.
Objective: To determine the relationship between psychomotor speed neurocognitive score
and the HIV disease stage in adults at initiation of care.
Setting: This study was conducted at Kangundo Sub-county hospital comprehensive care
centre.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. All HIV seropositive patients aged 18 to 50 years
recently initiated into care were studied. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stage was used during data collection to classify study
participants into asymptomatic and symptomatic groups. The grooved pegboard test was
used to obtain psychomotor speed neurocognitive scores. Descriptive statistics were used to
summarise data. Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman’s rho and multiple linear regression were
employed in the analysis; p-value of 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: The WHO stage did not have a significant effect on the psychomotor speed
neurocognitive score (p ≥ 0.05). The CD4 count had a significant effect on psychomotor speed
neurocognitive score (p = 0.001).
Conclusions: There was a significant correlation between CD4 counts and psychomotor speed
neurocognitive score. Efforts should be made to ensure that the CD4 counts of people living
with HIV and AIDS do not continue to fall after initiation into care in order to preserve
psychomotor function
