HIV-associated sensory neuropathies

Sanjay C. Keswania, Carlos A. Pardoa, Catherine L. Cherry, Ahmet Hokea, Justin C. McArthur
from AIDS, Official Journal of the International AIDS Society
[AIDS 16(16):2105-2117, 2002.]

Peripheral neuropathy has emerged as the most common neurological complication of HIV infection. There are several discrete types of HIV-associated neuropathy, which can be classified according to the timing of their appearance during HIV infection, their etiology and whether they are primarily axonal or demyelinating.

Some represent a consequence of HIV infection producing neuropathological damage [eg distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSP)], while others are related to opportunistic pathogens [eg cytomegalovirus (CMV) polyradiculitis]. An increasingly common group is that which occurs as a result of treatment toxicity [eg toxic neuropathy from antiretroviral drugs (TNA) and lactic acidosis syndrome].