High blood pressure and associated metabolic disorders among young adults with and without perinatal HIV

People on HIV antiretroviral therapy are living longer but face shorter comorbidity-free lives, due to the early onset of non-communicable diseases associated with aging. We examined the association of perinatal HIV infection or exposure and cardiometabolic disorders among young adults.

This cross-sectional study of cardiometabolic disorders included youths: perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV = 154), non-perinatally acquired HIV (NPHIV = 155), HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU = 154), and HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU = 197), in two tertiary health centers in Nigeria. Hypertension prevalence and related metabolic disorders were assessed using criteria from the Seventh Joint National Committee and the Joint Interim Statement of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention, respectively. Logistic regression models estimated the association between HIV status and these disorders.

Of the 660 participants with a median age of 20 years, females comprised 53%. Hypertension prevalence was 16.1% [95% CI: (10.3-21.9)] in PHIV, NPHIV, and HEU, while HUU had the highest rate at 51.6% [95% CI: (49.1-62.9)]. No significant differences in cardiometabolic parameters among the groups were found, but elevated blood glucose [23.5% (95% CI: 20.4-26.9)] ( P < 0.001), low HDL-C [65.0% (95% CI: 61.3-68.5)] ( P = 0.004), and abdominal obesity [15.6% (95% CI: 13.0-18.6)] ( P = 0.024) were more common components of metabolic syndrome (MetS). PHIV showed lower likelihoods of prehypertension [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.55 (95% CI: 0.32-0.93)] and elevated blood glucose [AOR: 0.23 (95% CI: 0.09-0.55)], but higher likelihood of low HDL-C [AOR: 2.08 (95% CI: 1.30-3.34)]. HEU had lower odds of MetS [AOR: 0.39 (95% CI: 0.16-0.93)] and abdominal obesity [AOR: 0.49 (95% CI: 0.24-0.99)] than HUU.

Integrating NCD screening into HIV management for youth can enhance early detection and prevent complications.