Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Animal and in vitro models of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy suggest an inflammatory etiology. Previous genetic association studies of HIV-SN have been in small Caucasian or Asian cohorts. We assessed cytokine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a Black Southern African cohort. METHOD: 342 black HIV-positive Southern Africans were recruited. 190 individuals had HIV-associated sensory neuropathy and 152 did not. DNA samples from all participants were genotyped for cytokine SNPs identified in studies of HIV disease and/or neuropathy. RESULTS: IL4-590T associated with an increased prevalence of HIV-SN including following correction for age, height and CD4 T-cell count. No other cytokine SNPs assessed displayed an association. DISCUSSION: We identified a novel association between IL4-590T and HIV-SN in African HIV-positive patients which warrants further investigation.

Project

• HIV-associated neuropathy (HIV-SN): epidemiology and genetics
  HIV-associated neuropathy (HIV-SN) is a very common cause of pain in the lower limbs for people with HIV. Understanding which patients are at risk will assist preventing and treating this disabling condition.