Aims We prospectively assessed and compared the accuracy of cardiovascular risk scores in people living with HIV (PLWH) and individuals from the general population. Methods and results The Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation Score 2 (SCORE2), the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE), and the HIV-specific Data Collection on Adverse events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) score were calculated in participants free from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) between 2003 and 2009. In total, 6373 [mean age, 40.6 years (SD, 9.9)] PLWH from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) and 5403 [52.8 years (SD, 10.7)] individuals from the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus study were eligible for analysis. We tested discrimination and calibration, and the value of adding HIV-specific factors to scores using the net reclassification improvement (NRI). During mean follow-ups of 13.5 (SD, 4.1) in SHCS and 9.9 (SD, 2.3) years in CoLaus|PsyCoLaus study, 533 (8.4%) and 374 (6.9%) people developed an incident ASCVD, respectively. This translated into age-adjusted incidence rates of 12.9 and 7.5 per 1000 person-year, respectively. In SHCS, SCORE2, PCE, and D:A:D presented comparable discriminative capacities [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.745 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.723–0.767), 0.757 (95% CI, 0.736–0.777), and 0.763 (95% CI, 0.743–0.783)]. Adding HIV-specific variables (CD4 nadir and abacavir exposure) to SCORE2 and PCE resulted in an NRI of −0.1% (95% CI, −1.24 to 1, P = 0.83) and of 2.7% (95% CI, 0.3–5.1, P = 0.03), respectively. Conclusions PLWH present a two-fold higher rate of incident ASCVD compared to individuals from the general population. SCORE2 and PCE, which are clinically easier to use (reduced set of variables without adding HIV-specific factors), are valid to predict ASCVD in PLWH.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine neurocognitive course over time among people with well treated HIV. Design: The Neurocognitive Assessment in the Metabolic and Aging Cohort (NAMACO) study is an ongoing, prospective, longitudinal, multicenter and multilingual study within the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS). Participants undergo neuropsychological assessment at baseline and two-yearly follow-up. Setting: Seven SHCS centres. Participants: Patients aged at least 45 years enrolled in the SHCS with fluency in the local language (French, German or Italian) and agreeing to participate in the NAMACO study: 981 participants at baseline, 720 at 2-year follow-up of whom 644 had complete data sets. Intervention: Standardized neuropsychological assessment at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Main outcome measure: Neurocognitive performance using Frascati criteria and mean z -scores. Results: Four participants (of 644, 0.6%) had plasma HIV-1 RNA more than 50 copies/ml; median CD4 + cell count was 660 cells/μl. According to Frascati criteria, 204 participants (31.7%) had neurocognitive impairment (NCI) at baseline. NCI severity in these participants changed little over 2 years and comprehensive models based on Frascati criteria were not feasible. Examining mean z -scores, however, we observed neurocognitive stability or improvement over two years in five of seven neurocognitive domains assessed. Age at least 65 years ( P = 0.02) and cognitive complaints ( P = 0.004) were associated with neurocognitive decline, while black race ( P = 0.01) and dolutegravir treatment ( P = 0.002) were associated with improvement. Conclusion: Frascati criteria were less sensitive in measuring NCI change and therefore unsuitable for following neurocognitive course in our cohort of people with well treated HIV. Examining neurocognitive course by mean z-score change, we observed stability or improvement.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people are disproportionately affected by HIV and sexually transmitted infections. MSM and transgender people in Nepal experience considerable discrimination and marginalisation, they are subject to abuse from legal authorities and suffer from mental health issues. These social and structural factors can lead to increased sexual risk behaviour, barriers to accessing health care and result in adverse health outcomes. This study aims to assess the prevalence of HIV and syphilis, and how individual and socio-structural factors influence sexual risk behaviour and health care service uptake, among MSM and transgender women in the Terai highway districts of Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in June 2016 in eight Terai highway districts of Nepal, recruiting 340 MSM and transgender women through respondent driven sampling. The primary outcome variables were HIV and syphilis prevalence. The secondary outcome variables were sexual risk behaviour and health care service uptake. Logistic regression models were used to assess the individual and socio-structural determinants of sexual risk behaviour and health care service uptake.

Background We previously showed that anticholinergic (ACH) medications contribute to self-reported neurocognitive impairment (NCI) in elderly people living with HIV (PLWH). The current cross-sectional study further evaluated the effect of ACH and sedative drugs on neurocognitive function in PLWH who underwent comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Methods A medication review was performed in PLWH enrolled in the prospective Neurocognitive Assessment in Metabolic and Aging Cohort (NAMACO) within the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. Neurocognitive functions were analyzed in 5 domains (motor skills, speed of information, attention/working memory, executive functions and verbal learning memory). The effect of ACH and sedative medications on neurocognitive functioning was evaluated using linear regression models for the continuous (mean z-score) outcome and multivariable logistic regression models for the binary (presence/absence) outcome. Results 963 PLWH (80% male, 92% Caucasian, 96% virologically suppressed, median age 52) were included. 14% of participants were prescribed ≥1 ACH medication and 9% were prescribed ≥1 sedative medication. Overall, 40% of participants had NCI. Sedative medication use was associated with impaired attention/verbal learning and ACH medication use with motor skills deficits both in the continuous (mean z-score difference -0.26 to -0.14, p < 0.001 and p = 0.06) and binary (odds ratio, OR ≥1.67, p < 0.05) models. Their combined use was associated with deficits in overall neurocognitive functions in both models (mean z-score difference -0.12, p = 0.002 and OR 1.54, p = 0.03). These associations were unchanged in a subgroup analysis of participants without depression (n = 824). Conclusion ACH and sedative medications contribute to NCI. Clinicians need to consider these drugs when assessing NCI in PLWH.

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