Control of posture in patients with neurologically asymptomatic HIV infection and patients with beginning HIV-1-related encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVE

Stance control measurements (sway velocity, sway area, and postural reflexes) were performed in 36 patients with neurologically asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and in 10 patients with beginning HIV type 1 (HIV-1)-related encephalopathy. All recordings were performed using a movable platform system.

OBSERVATIONS: Static posturography and postural reflexes revealed pathologic results in patients with beginning HIV-1-related encephalopathy and in about 25% of patients with nonsymptomatic HIV infection in comparison with age- and sex-matched control subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

Postural control is well preserved in early HIV infection; thus, it is not an appropriate measure for detecting subclinical deficits, but disturbances of postural control seem to be one of the first neurological abnormalities in patients with beginning HIV-1-related encephalopathy.