Painful symptoms reported by ambulatory HIV-infected men in a longitudinal study

We studied the painful symptoms associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and its treatment in a group of men enrolled in a prospective longitudinal study of HIV effects on the nervous system. The most common painful illnesses reported were HIV-related headaches, herpes simplex, painful peripheral neuropathy, back pain, herpes zoster, 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT)-induced headaches, throat pain, and arthralgia. Painful illnesses were reported at all stages of systemic disease but were more common in the later stages of disease and in subjects who progressed to a more advanced stage during the study period. There was an association between the frequency of multiple pains, increased disability on the Karnofsky scale, and higher depression scores, as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). We conclude that painful symptoms are important even in relatively healthy and independent HIV-infected men.