No abstract

Background: Thymidine analogues (TA) and didanosine (ddI) have been associated with redistribution of body fat from subcutaneous (SAT) to visceral (VAT) adipose tissue, which, in turn, is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We explored differences in adipose tissue distribution between people living with HIV (PLWH) with prior exposure to TA and/or ddI, without exposure, and uninfected controls and the association with CVD risk factors. Methods: 761 PLWH from the COCOMO study and 2,283 age-and sex-matched uninfected controls from the CGPS study were included. PLWH were stratified according to prior exposure to TA and/or ddI. VAT and SAT were determined by abdominal CT-scan. Hypotheses were tested using regression analyses. Results: Exposure to TA and/or ddI was associated with 21.6 cm 2 larger VAT (13.8-29.3) compared to HIV infection without exposure. HIV-negative status was associated with similar VAT compared to HIV infection without exposure. Cumulative exposure to TA and/or ddI (3.7 cm 2 per year [2.3-5.1]), but not time since discontinuation (-1.1 cm 2 per year [-3.4-1.1]), was associated with VAT. Prior exposure to TA and/or ddI was associated with excess risk of hypertension (aOR 1.62 [1.13-2.31]), hypercholesterolemia (aOR 1.49 [1.06-2.11]), and low HDL (aOR 1.40 [0.99-1.99]). Conclusions: This study suggests a potentially irreversible and harmful association of TA and ddI with VAT accumulation, which appears be involved in the increased risk of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and low HDL found in PLWH with prior exposure to TA and/or ddI, even years after treatment discontinuation.

Aims Little is known about the prevalence of aortic aneurysms among people living with HIV (PLWH). We investigated whether HIV status is independently associated with having aortic aneurysms. Furthermore, we determined risk factors associated with aortic aneurysms in PLWH. Methods and results PLWH aged ≥40 years (n = 594) were recruited from the Copenhagen Comorbidity in HIV Infection study and matched for age and sex with uninfected controls (n = 1188) from the Copenhagen General Population Study. Aortic dimensions were assessed using contrast enhanced computed tomography. Aortic aneurysms were defined according to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines, i.e. an aortic dilation of ≥50% or an infrarenal aortic diameter of ≥30 mm. Among PLWH and uninfected controls, the median (interquartile range) age was 52 (47–60) and 52 (48–61) and 88% and 90% were male, respectively. We found 46 aneurysms in 42 (7.1%) PLWH and 31 aneurysms in 29 (2.4%) uninfected controls (P < 0.001). PLWH had a significantly higher prevalence of ascending aortic aneurysms and infrarenal aortic aneurysms. In an adjusted model, HIV was independently associated with aortic aneurysms (adjusted odds ratio; 4.51 [95% confidence interval 2.56–8.08], P < 0.001). Within PLWH, obesity and hepatitis B co-infection were associated with aortic aneurysms. Conclusion PLWH had four-fold higher odds of aortic aneurysms compared to uninfected controls, and HIV status was independently associated with aortic aneurysms. Among PLWH, age, obesity and hepatitis B co-infection were associated with higher odds of aortic aneurysms. Our findings suggest that increased attention to aortic aneurysms in PLWH may be beneficial.