1. Genetics of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy and related pain in Africans.
- Author
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Ngassa Mbenda HG, Wadley A, Lombard Z, Cherry C, Price P, and Kamerman P
- Subjects
- Adult, Africa epidemiology, Black People, Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Kinase genetics, Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Kinase metabolism, DNA, Mitochondrial metabolism, Female, Gene Expression, HIV Infections complications, HIV Infections ethnology, HIV Infections physiopathology, Humans, Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 genetics, Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 metabolism, Interleukin-4 genetics, Interleukin-4 metabolism, Male, Pain complications, Pain ethnology, Pain physiopathology, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases complications, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ethnology, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases physiopathology, Quality of Life psychology, Risk Factors, DNA, Mitochondrial genetics, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, HIV Infections genetics, Pain genetics, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases genetics
- Abstract
Despite the use of safer antiretroviral medications, the rate of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy (HIV-SN), the most common neurological complication of HIV, remains high. This condition is often painful and has a negative effect on quality of life. Up to 90% of those with HIV-SN experience pain for which there is no effective analgesic treatment. Genetic factors are implicated, but there is a lack of a comprehensive body of research for African populations. This knowledge gap is even more pertinent as Africans are most affected by HIV. However, recent studies performed in Southern African populations have identified genes displaying potential as genetic markers for HIV-SN and HIV-SN-associated pain in Africans. Here, we review the published studies to describe current knowledge of genetic risk factors for this disease in Africa.
- Published
- 2017
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