Investigating the impact of HIV on patients with first episode psychosis: a study protocol for a longitudinal cohort study

Abstract

IntroductionSouth Africa (SA) has a high HIV prevalence and limited mental healthcare resources. Neuropsychiatric complications such as psychosis onset in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) remains poorly understood. The study aims to compare the socio-demographic, clinical, substance use, cognitive and trauma profile of PLWHIV presenting with first episode psychosis (FEP) to those with the condition but without HIV.Methods and analysisThis study will compare presentation, course, and outcome of a cohort of PLWHIV and FEP with a control group recruited over a 3-year period. We will prospectively test the hypothesis that the 2 groups are socio-demographically, clinically and cognitively distinct at illness presentation, with higher trauma burden and poorer outcomes in those with the dual burden of HIV and FEP. FEP participants, confirmed by a structured neuropsychiatric interview, will have their socio-demographic, psychosis, mood, motor, trauma and substance use variables assessed. A neuropsychological battery will be completed to assess cognition, while quality of life, psychotic symptoms and HIV markers will be measured at 3, 6 and 12 months.Ethics and disseminationThe study protocol has been reviewed and ethics approval obtained from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (BC 571/18) of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The results from this investigation will be actively disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications and conference presentations.

Clinical characteristics of people presenting with first episode psychosis pre‐ and during the COVID‐19 pandemic in KwaZulu‐Natal Province, South Africa

“…The study utilized a clinical interview, physical examination and several psychiatric tools to measure clinical variables. A description of all the study tools is also presented in the previous publication (Chhagan et al, 2021). The MINI version 7.02 was used to confirm the DSM 5 diagnosis of a psychotic disorder (Sheehan et al, 1997(Sheehan et al, , 1998.…”

“…The detailed methodology of this study providing information on study sites, participant inclusion/exclusion criteria and measures is described in an earlier publication by Chhagan et al (2021). In summary, the two cohorts' data was collected from five psychiatry clinical units by the same team of psychiatrists and a medical doctor doing her PhD in psychosis in KwaZulu‐Natal Province, SA.…”

Інфекційні Психози. Історичний Ракурс. Особливості Клініки

“…Протягом останніх десятиліть продовжує змінюватися структура психіатричної захворюваності у групі інфекційно-органічних хвороб мозку, що пов'язано зі зменшенням поширеності одних нейроінфекцій та появою нових клінічних форм. Це, наприклад, розлади, зумовлені нейросифілісом та СНІДом [7].…”