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Cardiometabolic risk factors among HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy

James N Kiage1, Douglas C Heimburger, Christopher K Nyirenda

  • 1Department of Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.

Lipids in Health and Disease
|April 12, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in Zambia improved lipid profiles, reducing cardiovascular disease risk. However, short-term cART also showed a trend towards increased insulin resistance in HIV patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • HIV and combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) are potential risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • This study investigated the early impact of cART on CVD risk markers in a low-risk population in Zambia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the short-term effects of initiating cART on cardiometabolic risk factors in HIV-infected adults.
  • To compare these effects across different cART regimens.

Main Methods:

  • Adult patients (n=118) initiating cART in Lusaka, Zambia, had cardiometabolic risk factors measured before and 90 days after treatment initiation.
  • Patients were categorized into three groups based on their cART regimen.
  • ANOVA was used to analyze changes in risk markers across regimens.

Main Results:

  • Low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) prevalence decreased significantly (78.8% to 34.8%).
  • Elevated total cholesterol (TC) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR ≥3.0) increased significantly.
  • The TC:HDL-c ratio ≥5.0 prevalence decreased significantly (44.9% to 6.8%).
  • These changes were independent of the specific cART regimen used.

Conclusions:

  • Short-term cART in this Zambian population was associated with a cardioprotective lipid profile.
  • A tendency towards increased insulin resistance was observed, irrespective of the cART regimen.
Abstract

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