Clinical practice
HIV, antiretroviral therapy and suicidal behaviour: a multidisciplinary case report and underlying neuroimmunological pathways
F. Koolen, J.A. Schippers, A.M.L. Oude lashof, C. Leue
The relationship between hiv, major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation is well established. For example, hiv-positive patients are seven times more likely to develop depression, and suicidal behaviour is also more prevalent. Antiretroviral therapy is known to further enhance these risks. We saw a 53-year-old patient with a depressive episode and suicidal ideation, possibly related to the use of dolutegravir/abacavir/lamivudine. We provide an overview of the literature and we present a neuro-immunological hypothesis for this psychiatric adverse event, which may occur even after months of treatment.