HIV is associated with airway obstruction: a matched controlled study

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Smoking is a major risk factor for chronic respiratory diseases.
• People living with HIV (PLWHIV) are a growing population with unique health concerns.
• Understanding the interplay between HIV and respiratory health in smokers is crucial for comprehensive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between HIV infection and airway obstruction in a cohort of smokers.
• To compare respiratory outcomes in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected smokers.

Main Methods:

• The study included 351 PLWHIV from the ANRS EP48 HIV CHEST study and 702 HIV-uninfected participants from the CONSTANCES cohort.
• Participants were over 40 years old with a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years.
• Airway obstruction was assessed using prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1-second (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio, with a ratio < 0.70 and FEV1 < 80% of theoretical value indicating obstruction.

Main Results:

• HIV infection was negatively associated with the FEV1/FVC ratio (β -2.19).
• HIV infection was significantly associated with airway obstruction (OR: 1.72), alongside age and tobacco use.
• Factors negatively associated with FEV1/FVC included HIV, older age, higher tobacco consumption, and hepatitis C virus serology.

Conclusions:

• HIV status is significantly associated with airway obstruction in smokers over 40 with a history of immunodeficiency.
• These findings underscore the increased risk of respiratory complications in PLWHIV who smoke.
• Further research into pulmonary complications in PLWHIV is warranted.