Cognitive performance and the thymus among HIV-infected subjects receiving HAART

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study population by alcohol consumption

Characteristics	Nonhazardous drinkers	Hazardous drinkers
Number of individuals (%)	73 (45)	89 (55)
Number of women (%)	20 (27.4)	35 (39.3)
Mean (SD) age (years)	40.7 (7.3)	40.5 (7.5)
Education (SD) (years)	11.0 (0.07)	11.8 (0.10)
CD4 cell counts (SD)	253 (179)	256 (184)

Data are mean (SD) or numbers (%), unless otherwise indicated.

Table 2 Cognitive and immune baseline characteristics

Characteristics	Nonhazardous drinkers	Hazardous drinkers
HIV dementia scores (HDS)	10.4 ± 4	8.4 ± 4
CVLT short delay recall	9.5 ± 4	8 ± 3
CVLT long delay recall	10 ± 4	9 ± 4
Viral load	177, 810 ± 36, 290	233, 778 ± 35, 674
CD4 cell counts (SD)	253 ± 179	256 ± 184

Notes: Data are mean (SD) or numbers (%), unless otherwise indicated.

Abbreviations: HDS, HIV dementia scale; CVLT, California Verbal Learning Test.

Figure 1 Axial T1 weighted image of the thymus of an antiretroviral treated nonhazardous drinker. The thymus (arrow) is of intermediate signal intensity with small amounts of higher intensity fat (arrowheads) around it.

Figure 2 Axial T1 weighted image of the thymus of an antiretroviral treated hazardous drinker. The mediastinum largely consists of high intensity fat, with a small thymus (black arrow).

Table 3 Cognitive and immune measurements after 6 months of HAART according to thymus size

Characteristics	Small thymus	Large thymus	pValue
HIV dementia scores (HDS)	8.0 ± 4.7	11.7 ± 3	0.03
CVLT short delay recall	8.9 ± 2.4	13.6 ± 2.8	0.01
CVLT long delay recall	9.1 ± 2.6	13 ± 3.4	0.05
CD4 cell counts (SD)	−34 ± 7	25 ± 4	0.05

Data are mean (SD) or numbers (%), unless otherwise indicated.

Abbreviations: CVLT, California Verbal Learning Test; HAART, highly active antiretroviral therapy; HDS, HIV dementia scale; SD, standard deviation.

Table 4 Odds ratios for dementia according to alcohol intake

Model	Univariate OR	95% CI	Multivariate OR	95% CI	Df	F	pValue
Regression					87	6.109	0.05
Drinker	1.23	1–4.1	9	1–98			0.04
Thymus	1.6	1–2.3	7.5	1.5–38			0.001

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; CI, Confidence interval.