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Query: UMLS:C0040822 (tremor)
 18,428 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

This study presents the main clinical findings on 200 AIDS patients at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in the northern zone of Tanzania, with detailed neurological findings on 135 out of 200 cases and 53 controls. Results show that 21 out of 200 (10.5%) had an obvious focal neurological disorder, including cranial nerve palsies, hemiparesis and paraparesis. Ninety-seven out of 135 (72%) had less obviously detectable neurological disorders, versus 36% of controls (P less than 0.005). Most frequent were AIDS dementia complex (54%), retinopathy (23%), areflexia (21%), pyramidal tract signs (19%) and tremor and incoordination (19%). Frontal lobe release signs (FLRS) were found in 103 out of 135 (76%) patients, versus 36% of controls (P less than 0.005). Advanced and terminal AIDS cases were more likely to have neurological disorders than early AIDS patients. A further study on 87 non-AIDS patients with acute unexplained neurological disorders showed 10 out of 87 to be HIV seropositive. Three case studies are presented. This study suggests that neurological disorders are among the main clinical features of AIDS and HIV disease in Africa.
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PMID:Neurological disorders in AIDS and HIV disease in the northern zone of Tanzania. 250 33

Of 70 autopsied patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), 46 suffered progressive dementia that was frequently accompanied by motor and behavioral dysfunction. Impaired memory and concentration with psychomotor slowing represented the most common early presentation of this disorder, but in nearly one half of the patients either motor or behavioral changes predominated. Early motor deficits commonly included ataxia, leg weakness, tremor, and loss of fine-motor coordination, while behavioral disturbances were manifested most commonly as apathy or withdrawal, but occasionally as a frank organic psychosis. The course of the disease was steadily progressive in most patients, and at times was punctuated by an abrupt acceleration. However, in 20% of patients a more protracted indolent course was observed. In the most advanced stage of this disease, patients exhibited a stereotyped picture of severe dementia, mutism, incontinence, paraplegia, and in some cases, myoclonus. The high incidence and unique clinical presentation of this AIDS dementia complex is consistent with the emerging concept that this complication is due to direct brain infection by the retrovirus that causes AIDS.
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PMID:The AIDS dementia complex: I. Clinical features. 372 8

This is a critique of a study by Howlett, Nkya, Mmuni, Missalek, published in AIDS (1989), which reports on clinical findings in 200 AIDS patients at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Tanzania between 1985-88. For 135 of these patients, the study concentrates on the clinical neurological symptoms of AIDS. General symptoms included weakness (98%); wasting (92%); fever (79%); diarrhea (75%); maculo-papulor rash (71%); and candidiasis (57%). Neurological symptoms included AIDS dementia complex (54%); retinal abnormalities (23%); areflexia (21%); pyramidal tract signs (19%) and tremor and incoordination (19%). This study is the most detailed published examination to date of the clinical neurological symptoms associated with AIDS in African patients. In spite of the weaknesses of the study the paucity of laboratory investigations and the lack of autopsy information and the frequency of different infections affecting the nervous system in African AIDS patients, the study will be referenced in all future works on the neurology of AIDS in Africa. (Author's modified).
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PMID:Neurological disorders in AIDS and HIV disease in the northern zone of Tanzania. 1228 84