Phillips, N.JThomas, K.G.FMyer, LSacktor, NZar, H.JStein, D.JHoare, J2025-03-022025-03-022019-01-17Phillips NJ, Thomas KGF, Myer L, Sacktor N, Zar HJ, Stein DJ, Hoare J. Screening for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders in perinatally infected adolescents: youth-International HIV Dementia Scale validation. AIDS. 2019 Apr 1;33(5):815-824. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000002144.10.1097/QAD.0000000000002144https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30649059/https://hdl.handle.net/11288/598188Context: Perinatal HIV infection has adverse cognitive consequences into adolescence. However, there are no screening tools that assess risk for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders in adolescent populations. Such screening tools are needed urgently for clinical care in resource-poor settings with a high prevalence of HIV. Objective: To investigate the performance of the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS) as a screening tool for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders in perinatally adolescents. Design: The current study is a quantitative, quasiexperimental design. Methods: Perinatally HIV-infected adolescents aged 9-12 years were recruited from community health clinics into the Cape Town Adolescent Antiretroviral Cohort; matched HIV-negative controls from the same communities were enrolled. Each participant completed the IHDS and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. The adult version of the IHDS was performed, except for two minor modifications. We evaluated the diagnostic validity of this modified instrument, the youth-IHDS (y-IHDS), using a four-step process that included sensitivity and specificity calculations, and generating receiver operating characteristic curves. Validity was measured against the youth HIV-associated diagnostic criteria. Results: At a cut-off score of 10 or less, the y-IHDS demonstrated good sensitivity (94%) but poor specificity (24%) for detecting all forms of neurocognitive disorders, with an acceptable area under the curve value of 0.695. Conclusion: The y-IHDS requires minimal resources and is based on a screening tool for adult HIV-associated cognitive disorders that is already widely used globally. Hence, this brief, cost-efficient, and valid screening tool may be a useful addition for clinicians working in resource-poor contexts in which adolescent HIV is highly prevalent.enArticle