TheBodyPro | Expert analysis from Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D.
When we’re assessing our patients’ health, we tend to focus on measurable clinical metrics: CD4 count and viral load, of course, but also data points such as cardiovascular risk and organ health. But a small US study into a medical intervention — the potential for oral hydrocortisone to improve cognitive function in women with HIV — helps to remind us that effective HIV care often means stretching beyond the numbers to appreciate the impact of mental health on long-term outcomes.
Key takeaways
- A single dose of 10 mg oral hydrocortisone significantly improved immediate-term attention and verbal learning in a small cohort of predominantly Black women.
- Four weeks of hydrocortisone improved delayed verbal recall within the treatment group, but the treatment-by-time interaction was not significant.
- If our patients raise cognitive complaints or concerns, it warrants a broader assessment of their mental health, sleep, medications, substance use, social stressors, and other potentially modifiable contributors.
Read the full analysis here.
Source : TheBodyPro
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