Consecutive consenting 406 HIV-positive adults on HAART were screened for the presence of HIV-SN at the Regional Hospital Buea. We used the internationally validated Brief Peripheral Neuropathy Screening (BPNS) tool and a structured questionnaire to conduct this hospital-based cross-sectional study. HIV-SN was diagnosed on the basis of the presence of at least 1 symptom (pain, paraesthesia or numbness) and at least one sign (an abnormal vibration sense; vibration sense<10s using a 128Hz tuning fork on the great toe) or absence or reduce ankle jerk reflex. Also, the severity of the symptoms was rated on a 10-point numerical pain rating scale.

The prevalence of symptomatic peripheral neuropathy was 41% (168/406). Only a past history of stavudine-containing regimen intake and advanced age were found to be independently associated with the prevalence of HIV-SN. Neuropathic pain was the most prevalent symptom (77%); for 8% of the sample, the pain was debilitating in severity, leading to loss of livelihood (farming), while 30% slept poorly at night.