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Alcohol consumption and HIV disease progression
Jeffrey H Samet1, Debbie M Cheng, Howard Libman
1Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. jsamet@bu.edu
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999)
|August 2, 2007
Summary
Heavy alcohol consumption negatively impacts CD4 cell counts in individuals with HIV not on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Avoiding heavy drinking may improve HIV disease progression for these patients.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Alcohol consumption is prevalent among individuals with HIV.
- The impact of alcohol on HIV disease progression requires further elucidation, particularly concerning laboratory markers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between alcohol consumption and key laboratory markers of HIV disease progression.
- To determine if alcohol intake influences CD4 cell counts and HIV RNA levels in HIV-infected individuals.
Main Methods:
- Prospective assessment of CD4 cell counts, HIV RNA levels, and alcohol consumption in 595 HIV-infected individuals with alcohol problems over up to 7 years.
- Longitudinal regression models were used, controlling for adherence and depressive symptoms, and stratified by antiretroviral therapy (ART) use.
Main Results:
- Heavy alcohol consumption was significantly associated with lower CD4 cell counts in individuals not on ART (mean decrease of 48.6 cells/microL compared to abstinence; P = 0.03).
- No significant association was found between heavy alcohol consumption and HIV RNA levels in those not on ART.
- Heavy alcohol consumption did not show a significant association with CD4 cell count or HIV RNA levels in individuals on ART.
Conclusions:
- Heavy alcohol consumption adversely affects CD4 cell counts in HIV-infected individuals not receiving ART.
- These findings suggest that reducing heavy alcohol consumption may be beneficial for HIV disease progression in patients not on ART, beyond its impact on ART adherence.
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