Predictive Validity And Usefulness Of Visual Scanning Task In Hiv/Aids - A Case Control Analysis

Abstract

There are evidences of brain damage based on functional neuro-imaging studies in patients with HIV/AIDS in the developed countries. However there is little or no information among this group of patients in the sub-Saharan Africa due to non-availability of functional neuron-imaging facilities. The objective was to assess the predictive validity of computerized visual scanning test as a tool to screen for presence of brain damage in HIV/AIDS patients. We used a neuropsychological tool the computerized visual scanning task a sensitive tool that discriminates between brain-damaged subjects and normal population to assess the presence of damage in a randomly selected sample of 192 HIV-positive subjects. These subjects performances were compared with age sex and level of education matched 96 controls. The visual scanning task had a sensitivity of 81.77% specificity of 81.25% and accuracy of 81.6%. There were significant differences in the performances of the HIV-positive subjects when compared with controls (p<0.05). Furthermore the severity of disease reflected by the CD4 levels worsens their performances. The visual scanning task is a useful screening tool for brain damage in HIV/AIDS by inference from impairment of visual information processing and disturbances in perceptual mental strategies. There is progressive neuro-cognitive decline as the disease worsens. (authors)