Small vessel vascular disease in HIV infection

Abstract

Background: This study is designed to determine the relationship between age and occurrence of cerebral manifestations of small vessel ischemic vascular disease in HIV seropositive individuals. Methods: Periventricular leukoaraiosis severity and white matter lesion volume were determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain on 57 HIV seropositive individuals. Results: Cerebral small vessel ischemic vascular disease manifestations correlated with age and systolic blood pressure, but not with HIV infection-related parameters. Conclusion: These findings suggest that, in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy, leukoaraiosis severity and white matter lesion volume may be more indicative of small vessel ischemic vascular disease than HIV -related CNS pathology; and support the need for aggressive treatment of vascular risk factors in HIV seropositive individuals.