Cognitive Impairment and Psychiatric Morbidity in HIV+ Zambians with New-Onset Seizure

Lisa Kalungwana Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia; Division of NeuroVirology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Clinical Epilepsy Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; Chikankata Epilepsy Care Team, Mazabuka, Zambia

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Melissa A. Elafros Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia; Division of NeuroVirology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Clinical Epilepsy Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; Chikankata Epilepsy Care Team, Mazabuka, Zambia

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Omar K. Siddiqi Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia; Division of NeuroVirology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Clinical Epilepsy Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; Chikankata Epilepsy Care Team, Mazabuka, Zambia

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Christopher M. Bositis Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia; Division of NeuroVirology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Clinical Epilepsy Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; Chikankata Epilepsy Care Team, Mazabuka, Zambia

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Izukanji Sikazwe Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia; Division of NeuroVirology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Clinical Epilepsy Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; Chikankata Epilepsy Care Team, Mazabuka, Zambia

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Igor J. Koralnik Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia; Division of NeuroVirology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Clinical Epilepsy Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; Chikankata Epilepsy Care Team, Mazabuka, Zambia

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William H. Theodore Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia; Division of NeuroVirology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Clinical Epilepsy Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; Chikankata Epilepsy Care Team, Mazabuka, Zambia

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Gretchen L. Birbeck Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia; Division of NeuroVirology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Clinical Epilepsy Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; Chikankata Epilepsy Care Team, Mazabuka, Zambia

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A prospective cohort study of new-onset seizure in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Zambia is ongoing to determine the incidence of subsequent epilepsy and risk factors for epileptogenesis in this population. At enrollment, we evaluated this cohort for cognitive impairment and psychiatric morbidity. Over 50% of participants had cognitive impairment and significant psychiatric morbidity. Most participants had advanced HIV disease based on CD4+ T-cell count and World Health Organization stage, but we found no association between cognitive impairment or psychiatric morbidity and HIV disease staging.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Gretchen L. Birbeck, 265 Crittenden Boulevard, CU420694, Rochester, NY 14642-0694. E-mail: gretchen_birbeck@urmc.rochester.edu

Financial support: This project was supported by Fogarty International Center and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Grant 1R21NS073509. M.A.E. was supported, in part, by an MD/PhD Fellowship from Spectrum Health, the American Medical Association Foundation, and the Lois C. Walker Endowed Fund for Student Research at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. O.K.S. was supported an American Academy of Neurology Clinical Research Fellowship. I.J.K. is supported, in part, by NINDS Grants R01047029 and R01074995. W.H.T. was supported by the International League Against Epilepsy.

Authors' addresses: Lisa Kalungwana, Department of Psychology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia, E-mail: kalungwana.lisa@gmail.com. Melissa A. Elafros, International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, East Lansing, MI, E-mail: elafrosm@msu.edu. Omar K. Siddiqi, Cumberland, RI, E-mail: osiddiqi@bidmc.harvard.edu. Christopher M. Bositis, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, MA, E-mail: cbositis@glfhc.org. Izukanji Sikazwe, Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia, E-mail: Izukanji.sikazwe@cidrz.org. Igor J. Koralnik, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, E-mail: ikoralni@bidmc.harvard.edu. William H. Theodore, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, E-mail: theodorw@ninds.nih.gov. Gretchen L. Birbeck, University of Rochester, Department of Neurology, Strong Epilepsy Center, Rochester, NY, E-mail: gretchen_birbeck@urmc.rochester.edu.

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