Pornpun VivithanapornKrista NellesLeah DeblockStephen C. NewmanM. John GillChristopher PowerUniversity of AlbertaMahidol UniversityAlberta Health ServicesUniversity of Calgary2018-06-112018-06-112012-01-15Journal of the Neurological Sciences. Vol.312, No.1-2 (2012), 45-51187858830022510X2-s2.0-84155163271https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/15013Previous studies have reported that hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection worsens neurocognitive status among individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection. We assessed the prevalence of neurologic disorders and the severity of HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment among HIV-infected individuals in two centralized HIV clinics in Alberta, Canada from 1998 to 2010 based on their HCV serostatus. Of 456 HIV-infected persons without concurrent substance abuse, 91 (20.0%) were HCV seropositive. Of 58 neurologic disorders identified in the cohort, HIV/HCV co-infected individuals exhibited a higher prevalence of multiple neurologic disorders compared to HIV-infected individuals (60.4% vs. 46.6%, p < 0.05) and a higher frequency of seizures (28.6% vs. 17.8%, p < 0.05). Unlike HIV mono-infected persons, the risk of seizures was independent of immune status in HIV/HCV co-infected individuals (p < 0.05). Symptomatic HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (sHAND) were more severe among HIV/HCV co-infected persons (p < 0.05). HCV co-infection was associated with an increased mortality rate (24.2% vs. 14.5%, p < 0.05) with a mortality hazard ratio of 2.38 after adjusting for demographic and clinical variables. Our results indicate that the presence of HCV co-infection among HIV-infected individuals increased neurologic disease burden and risk of death, underscoring HCV's capacity to affect the nervous system and survival of HIV-infected persons. © 2011 Published by Elsevier B.V.Mahidol UniversityMedicineNeuroscienceArticleSCOPUS10.1016/j.jns.2011.08.025