Evaluation of Brief Screening Tools for Neurocognitive Impairment in HIV/AIDS: A Systematic Review of the Literature
AIDS
Zipursky, A. R., Gogolishvili, D., et al. (2013).
AIDS, 27(15), 2385-2401.
This systematic review investigates the accuracy of screening tools for detecting and differentiating between HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) and other cognitive impairments in individuals with HIV and AIDS.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care AIDS Bureau (Canada)
Through May 2012
Individual studies (not further specified)
51
<div>For identifying individuals with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), fifty-one articles reviewing a variety of screening tools reported the following:</div>
<ul>
<li>The HIV Dementia Scale (HDS) and the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS) are not ideal tools for identifying a range of neurocognitive impairment due to their respective poor (0.48) and moderate (0.62) pooled sensitivities.</li>
<li>The CogState, the Screening Algorithm, the paired Hopkins Verbal Learning Test and WAIS-III Digit Symbol combination, the paired Hopkins Verbal Learning Test and Grooved Pegboard Non-Dominant Hand combination, and the Computer Assessment of Mild Cognitive Impairment (CAMCI) showed promise in identifying HAND. Four of these tests (the CogState, the Screening Algorithm, the paired Hopkins Verbal Learning Test and WAIS-III Digit Symbol combination, the paired Hopkins Verbal Learning Test and Grooved Pegboard Non-Dominant Hand combination) demonstrated adequate sensitivities (≥0.75) and used a "gold-standard" neuropsychological battery as the reference test or criterion, while the fifth test (CAMCI) demonstrated a lower sensitivity (0.72).</li>
<li>The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), while mentioned in the research, was not assessed for reliability and validity for identifying HAND.</li>
</ul>
<div>Additional research validating neurocognitive screening tools for identifying HAND in individuals with HIV is warranted.</div>
