AUTHOR=Chiou Jian-Shiun , Chou Chen-Hsing , Ho Mao-Wang , Tien Ni , Liang Wen-Miin , Chiu Mu-Lin , Tsai Fuu-Jen , Wu Yang-Chang , Chou I-Ching , Lu Hsing-Fang , Lin Ting-Hsu , Liao Chiu-Chu , Huang Shao-Mei , Li Te-Mao , Lin Ying-Ju 

TITLE=Effect of Chinese herbal medicine therapy on risks of all-cause mortality, infections, parasites, and circulatory-related mortality in HIV/AIDS patients with neurological diseases

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1097862

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2023.1097862

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Introduction:</bold> Long-term living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with various adverse effects, including neurocognitive impairment. Heterogeneous neurocognitive impairment remains an important issue, affecting between 15–65% of human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) patients and resulting in work performance, safety, and health-related outcomes that have a heavy economic burden.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We identified 1,209 HIV/AIDS patients with neurological diseases during 2010–2017. The Kaplan–Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model were used to analyze 308 CHM users and 901 non-CHM users within this population. Major CHM clusters were determined using association rule mining and network analysis.</p><p><bold>Results and Discussion:</bold> Results showed that CHM users had a 70% lower risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI):0.16–0.58, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) (p = 0.0007, log-rank test). Furthermore, CHM users had an 86% lower risk of infections, parasites, and circulatory-related mortality (aHR = 0.14, 95% confidence interval (CI):0.04–0.46, <italic>p</italic> = 0.001) (<italic>p</italic> = 0.0010, log-rank test). Association rule mining and network analysis showed that two CHM clusters were important for patients with neurological diseases. In the first CHM cluster, Huang Qin (HQ; root of <italic>Scutellaria baicalensis</italic> Georgi), Gan Cao (GC; root of <italic>Glycyrrhiza uralensis</italic> Fisch.), Huang Lian (HL; root of <italic>Coptis chinensis</italic> Franch.), Jie Geng (JG; root of <italic>Platycodon grandiflorus</italic> (Jacq.) A.DC.), and Huang Bai (HB; bark of <italic>Phellodendron amurense</italic> Rupr.) were identified as important CHMs. Among them, the strongest connection strength was identified between the HL and HQ. In the second CHM cluster, Suan-Zao-Ren-Tang (SZRT) and Ye Jiao Teng (YJT; stem of <italic>Polygonum multiflorum</italic> Thunb.) were identified as important CHMs with the strongest connection strength. CHMs may thus be effective in treating HIV/AIDS patients with neurological diseases, and future clinical trials are essential for the prevention of neurological dysfunction in the population.</p>