HIV-associated sensory neuropathy in an African cohort a longitudinal study of risk factors predisposing to antiretroviral induced painful neuropathy

Includes abstract.Thesis (Ph.D. (Medicine))--University of Cape Town, 2013.Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) amongst human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients is frequently a painful and disabling condition. HIV-associated DSP is either a consequence of HIV (HIV-DSP) or antiretroviral-induced toxic neuropathy (ATN). The purpose of this research was to investigate the characteristics of HIV-associated DSP over the first 24 weeks of starting cART in an African community-based cohort. Apart from studying the longitudinal association of candidate risk factors based on previous reports, we focused on two additional aspects. Firstly, the Nacetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) genotype, which determines an individual's acetylation status, influences the risk for isoniazid (INH)-associated neuropathy