A hemophiliac with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-associated dementia complex

Abstract

We report a 29-year-old male hemophiliac with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-associated dementia complex, who died 2.5 months after the onset of dementia. The patient's cognitive abnormalities including forgetfulness, loss of concentration and slowing of thought appeared about 7 years after HIV infection. His neurological symptoms were characterized as progressive dementia, episodic consciousness loss, transverse myelopathy and peripheral neuropathy. He had generalized slow waves in electroencephalogram (EEG), progressive cerebral atrophy and a diffuse high intensity lesion in the white matter as shown by T2-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We emphasize the significance of neurological complications, especially acute progressive dementia, in Japanese patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).