Anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances among people on long-term efavirenz-based treatment for HIV: a cross-sectional study in Beijing, China

BACKGROUND: Efavirenz (EFV)-induced neuropsychiatric toxicity bothers people living with HIV (PLHIV). Neuropsychiatric adverse effects of EFV may differ by length of time on EFV-based antiretroviral treatment (ART). METHODS: A cross-sectional, single-center study was conducted at Beijing Ditan Hospital in China from June–August 2020 among ART-experienced PLHIV who were on long-term EFV-based ART. 424 eligible virological suppressed participants were enrolled and divided into four groups according to time on EFV-based ART: group A (0.5 ≤ ART < 2 year), B (2 ≤ ART < 4 year), C (4 ≤ ART < 6 year), and D (ART ≥ 6 year). The questionnaires about 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were administered to assess neuropsychiatric adverse events of EFV among different groups. RESULTS: Overall mental component summary scores (MCS) of SF-12 in PLHIV was 50.2, which was lower than general population. Overall prevalence of anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances was 15.6%, 15.3% and 58%, respectively. Prevalence of anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances did not vary significantly between the time-on-ART groups. Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances had no correlation with time on EFV-based ART or CD4(+) T cells counts. CONCLUSIONS: In ART-experienced PLHIV in China, neuropsychiatric adverse events exist persistently and prevalence do not significantly change with prolonged time on EFV-based ART. The prevalence of sleep disturbances was high, suggesting that clinicians should pay more attention to long-standing psychiatric health to perform early and effective interventions. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12888-022-04366-4.