The temporal relationship between body composition and cardiometabolic profiles in an HIV-infected (on antiretroviral therapy) versus HIV-free Western Cape study population.

Cardiovascular risk is a health concern in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). This longitudinal study (baseline vs 36 months) aimed to investigate the relationship between body composition and markers of cardiovascular risk in a South African study population [HIV free, n = 22 vs HIV positive on antiretroviral therapy (HIV+ART), n = 73)]. Health questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, biochemical analyses and flow-mediated dilation were performed. Linear mixed-model statistical analyses were applied. The HIV+ART vs the HIV-free groups were independently associated with body mass index (BMI) [-4.92 (-7.99 to -1.84), p = 0.002] and waist circumference [-10.5 (-17.2 to -3.77), p = 0.003]. ART duration was associated with BMI [2.60 (0.57-4.62), p = 0.013], waist circumference [3.83 (0.03-7.63), p = 0.048] and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [20.18 (2.37-41.09), p = 0.025]. The data showed that intricate relationships existed in this study population between HIV, ART, body composition and cardiometabolic variables. There is a need for more research investigating cardiovascular risk in PLWH, particularly in the context of changes in body composition measures.

HIV and Antiretroviral Therapy Are Independently Associated with Cardiometabolic Variables and Cardiac Electrical Activity in Adults from the Western Cape Region of South Africa.

Cardiovascular-related complications are on the rise in people with HIV/AIDS (PWH); however, the relationship among HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART)-related parameters, cardiovascular risk, and cardiac electrical activity in PWH remain poorly studied, especially in sub-Saharan African populations. We investigated whether HIV and ART are associated with cardiometabolic and cardiac electrical activity in PWH from Worcester in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. This was a cross-sectional study with HIV-negative (HIV-, n = 24) and HIV-positive on ART (HIV+/ART+, n = 63) participants. We obtained demographic, lifestyle, and medical history data and performed anthropometric, clinical assessments, and blood/urine biochemistry. We performed multiple stepwise linear regression analyses to determine independent associations among HIV, ART, cardiometabolic, and electrocardiographic (ECG) variables. HIV+/ART+ independently associated with a lower body mass index (p = 0.004), elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase levels (ß: 0.333 (0.130-0.573); p = 0.002), and elevated alanine aminotransferase levels (ß: 0.427 (0.224-0.629); p < 0.001) compared to HIV-. Use of second-line ART was positively associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (p = 0.002). Although ECG parameters did not differ between HIV- and HIV+/ART+, viral load positively associated with p-wave duration (0.306 (0.018-0.594); p = 0.038), and longer HIV duration (≥5 years) with ST-interval (0.270 (0.003-0.537); p = 0.047) after adjusting for confounding factors. Our findings suggest that HIV and ART are associated with mixed effects on this population's cardiometabolic profile and cardiac electrical activity, underpinning the importance of cardiovascular risk monitoring in PWH.