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Objective:

To evaluate the neurocognitive function in 220 women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), a study of disease progression in women living with HIV/AIDS and in HIV-negative controls.

Methods:

We evaluated the prevalence of abnormal neuropsychological (NP) results in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive compared with HCV-negative women in combination with HIV serostatus.

Results:

NP impairment was significantly higher for HCV-positive women in comparison with HCV-negative women [odds ratio (OR), 2.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.17–3.51]. Women co-infected with HCV and HIV demonstrated greater abnormal NP performance than those not infected with either, particularly if there was evidence of CD4 T-lymphocyte immunosuppression [> 200× 10 6 CD4 cells/l (OR, 3.48; 95% CI, 1.49–8.15) and≤ 200× 10 6 CD4 cells/l (OR, 5.38; 95% CI, 1.46–19.84)]. Women who were …