Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Limited research exists on HIV as a risk factor for cardiac arrest in the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between HIV infection and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs).
• To identify patient characteristics that modify the risk of OHCA in individuals with HIV.

Main Methods:

• Utilized California emergency department data from 2005 to 2015 for 18,542,761 patients, including 43,849 with HIV.
• Performed multivariable adjustments for numerous demographic and clinical factors.
• Analyzed interaction terms to assess modifying effects of patient characteristics.

Main Results:

• The incidence of OHCA was higher in patients with HIV (1.99 per 1,000 person-years) compared to those without (1.16 per 1,000 person-years).
• HIV infection was independently associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk of OHCA (HR 2.47).
• The increased OHCA risk in HIV patients was more pronounced in women and those with hypertension, congestive heart failure, or chronic kidney disease.

Conclusions:

• HIV infection significantly increases the risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
• Specific subgroups, including women and individuals with comorbidities like hypertension, heart failure, and kidney disease, face a disproportionately higher risk.