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Neurocognitive impairment is an independent risk factor for death in HIV infection. San Diego HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center Group
Ellis RJ, Deutsch R, Heaton RK, Marcotte TD, McCutchan JA, Nelson JA, Abramson I, Thal LJ et al.. Archives of neurology, 1997-04-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To determine if mortality is increased in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-associated neurocognitive disorders less severe than frank dementia. Design A prospective cohort study; median duration of follow-up was 2.4 years. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare survival times according to neurocognitive classification. Setting University-based research unit. Participants A volunteer sample of 414 individuals seropositive for HIV-1. Subjects were classified at their baseline evaluation as neuropsychologically (NP) normal or abnormal (impaired in > or = 2 NP test domains). A subgroup of NP abnormal subjects met operational criteria for HIV-associated minor cognitive motor disorder; the remaining subjects were designated NP impaired. Subjects with frank dementia were excluded. Main outcome measure Mortality. Results At the baseline evaluation, 256 (62%) of 414 subjects were designated normal; 109 (26%). NP impaired; and 49 (12%), minor cognitive motor disorder. One hundred six participants (26%) died during follow-up. Compared with the NP normal group, the unadjusted relative risk (RR) of death for all NP abnormal subjects (minor cognitive motor disorder and NP impaired) was significantly increased (RR, 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-2.6; P Conclusions The HIV-infected individuals with NP impairment had a higher risk of dying than those without impairment. This was particularly true for those meeting syndromic diagnostic criteria.
Key findings
- Results At the baseline evaluation, 256 (62%) of 414 subjects were designated normal; 109 (26%).
- Compared with the NP normal group, the unadjusted relative risk (RR) of death for all NP abnormal subjects (minor cognitive motor disorder and NP impaired) was significantly increased (RR, 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-2.6; P < .005).
Why it matters
This study found that HIV-infected people with milder neurocognitive impairment had a higher risk of death than those with normal cognition. It is about HIV-related cognitive problems and mortality, not about treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants414
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Archives of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Archives of Neurology: journal h-index 353 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1997 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 414 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 210 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.8 citations a year over 31 year(s) since 1997 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Igor Grant: h-index 111 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California San Diego: institution h-index 1,852 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 9109743) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Ellis, R. J., Deutsch, R., Heaton, R. K., Marcotte, T. D., McCutchan, J. A., Nelson, J. A., et al. (1997). Neurocognitive impairment is an independent risk factor for death in HIV infection. San Diego HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center Group. Archives of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1997.00550160054016
Vancouver
Ellis RJ, Deutsch R, Heaton RK, Marcotte TD, McCutchan JA, Nelson JA, et al. Neurocognitive impairment is an independent risk factor for death in HIV infection. San Diego HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center Group. Archives of neurology. 1997. doi:10.1001/archneur.1997.00550160054016. PMID: 9109743.
BibTeX
@article{ellis1997-9109743,
author = {Ellis, R. J. and Deutsch, R. and Heaton, R. K. and Marcotte, T. D. and McCutchan, J. A. and Nelson, J. A. and Abramson, I. and Thal, L. J. and others},
title = {{Neurocognitive impairment is an independent risk factor for death in HIV infection. San Diego HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center Group}},
journal = {Archives of neurology},
year = {1997},
doi = {10.1001/archneur.1997.00550160054016},
pmid = {9109743},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1997.00550160054016}
}
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