The Global Task Force for Chronic Pain in People with HIV (PWH): Developing a research agenda in an emerging field.

Chronic pain is a common comorbidity in people with HIV (PWH), with prevalence estimates of 25-85%. Research in this area is growing, but significant gaps remain. A Global Task Force of HIV experts was organized to brainstorm a scientific agenda and identify measurement domains critical to advancing research in this field. Experts were identified through literature searches and snowball sampling. Two online questionnaires were developed by Task Force members. Questionnaire 1 asked participants to identify knowledge gaps in the field of HIV and chronic pain and identify measurement domains in studies of chronic pain in PWH. Responses were ranked in order of importance in Questionnaire 2, which was followed by a group discussion. 29 experts completed Questionnaire 1, 25 completed Questionnaire 2, and 21 participated in the group. Many important clinical and research priorities emerged, including the need to examine etiologies of chronic pain in PWH. Pain-related measurement domains were discussed, with a primary focus on domains that could be assessed in a standardized manner across various cohorts that include PWH in different countries. We collaboratively identified clinical and research priorities, as well as gaps in standardization of measurement domains, that can be used to move the field forward.

TNF haplotypes in a Southern African population resemble those seen in Caucasians and Asians.

Haplotypes spanning the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene block in the central major histocompatibility complex were defined in a Southern African population using 31 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Twenty haplotypes accounted for 91.8% of the cohort. The haplotypes matched those described previously in Caucasian and Asian populations, supporting the hypothesis that TNF block haplotypes are ancient and highly conserved. They are presented here as a tool for disease-association studies.

A polymorphism in IL4 may associate with sensory neuropathy in African HIV patients.

INTRODUCTION: Animal and in vitro models of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy suggest an inflammatory etiology. Previous genetic association studies of HIV-SN have been in small Caucasian or Asian cohorts. We assessed cytokine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a Black Southern African cohort. METHOD: 342 black HIV-positive Southern Africans were recruited. 190 individuals had HIV-associated sensory neuropathy and 152 did not. DNA samples from all participants were genotyped for cytokine SNPs identified in studies of HIV disease and/or neuropathy. RESULTS: IL4-590*T associated with an increased prevalence of HIV-SN including following correction for age, height and CD4 T-cell count. No other cytokine SNPs assessed displayed an association. DISCUSSION: We identified a novel association between IL4-590*T and HIV-SN in African HIV-positive patients which warrants further investigation.