Trends in Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Among Persons With HIV in New York City, 2001-2012

Ageing with HIV

The population of people living with HIV (PLWH) is growing older with an estimated 4 million over the age of 50 years, a figure which has doubled since the introduction of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) and which is increasing globally. Despite effective ART, PLWH still experience excess morbidity and mortality compared to the general population with increased prevalence of age-related, non-AIDS illnesses (NAI) such as cardiovascular disease, malignancies, cognitive impairment and reduced bone mineral density, which impact disability and everyday functioning. This review will discuss the challenges presented by comorbidities in ageing PLWH and discuss the aetiology and management of age-related illnesses in this vulnerable population.

Persons living with diagnosed HIV in New York City: over 50% over 50 years old

Using NYC HIV surveillance data, we estimated the annual median age of persons living with diagnosed HIV (PLWDH) and the proportion of PLWDH over 50 years old in NYC between 2008 and 2015, and described the characteristics, retention in care and viral suppression status among PLWDH in NYC in 2015, by age (<50 vs. ≥50 years old). The median age of PLWDH in NYC increased from 46.4 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 39.4, 53.2) in 2008 to 50.2 years (IQR: 39.8, 57.5) in 2015, and the proportion of PLWDH over 50 years old increased from 35.9% in 2008 to 50.6% in 2015. In 2015, by race/ethnicity, whites had the highest proportion over 50 years old (57.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islanders had the lowest (36.2%); by transmission risk, men who have sex with men were the lowest (40.0%) and injection drug users were the highest (76.1%). A large and increasing proportion of PLWDH over 50 years old presents challenges for HIV-infected individuals and healthcare system. Better social support services for HIV-infected individuals and additional training for medical and public health staff are needed.

Platelet function and cardiovascular risk in adult HIV-infected patients on HAART: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now at least threefold higher in HIV-infected patients as compared with the general population. Although platelet activation and reactivity are implicated in the development of CVDs in HIV-infected patients, its precise role remains inconclusive. We aim to assess the association between platelet activation and selected cardiovascular risk factors in HIV-1-infected individuals on highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART).

METHODS

This will be a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies evaluating the association between platelet activation and CVD risk factors in HAART-treated adults. The search strategy will include medical subject headings words for MEDLINE, and this will be adapted to Embase search headings (Emtree) terms for the EMBASE database. The search will cover literature published between 1 January 1996 to 30 April 2017. Studies will be independently screened by two reviewers using predefined criteria. Relevant eligible full texts will be screened; data will be extracted, and a qualitative synthesis will be conducted. Data extraction will be performed using Review Manager V.5.3. To assess the quality and strengths of evidence across selected studies, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation approach will be used. The Cochran's Q statistic and the I² statistics will be used to analyse statistical heterogeneity between studies. If included studies show high levels of homogeneity, a random effects meta-analysis will be performed using R statistical software.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This will be a review of existing studies and will not require ethical approval. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and presented at local and international conferences. An emerging patient management dilemma is that of the increased incidence of CVD in people living with HIV on HAART. This review may inform treatment and cardiovascular risk stratification of HIV-infected patients at increased risk of developing CVD.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42017062393.

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and Anti-Retroviral Therapy

In the current era of available therapy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), life expectancy for persons living with HIV (PLWH) nears that of the general population. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) has become a particular burden for PLWH and society at large. PLWH have historically been shown to have an excess of cardiovascular risk and subsequent events when compared to the general population. Potential explanations include the increased prevalence of traditional risk factors, direct inflammatory and immunological effects from the HIV virus itself, and metabolic adverse effects of anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Over the past few years, there has been building evidence that chronic inflammation and immune activation independent of virologic suppression contribute significantly to excess ASCVD risk. Although independent agents and combination therapies have varying metabolic effects, the evidence from major randomized controlled trials (RCTs) supports the benefits of early initiation of ART. In this review, we will discuss the epidemiology of ASCVD in HIV-infected patients compared with the general population, give an overview of potential pathogenesis of high-risk plaque in HIV-infected patients, discuss different metabolic effects of individual anti-retrovirals, and discuss the limitations in current screening models for assessing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and future directions for treatment.

Cardiovascular outcomes among HIV-infected veterans receiving atazanavir

OBJECTIVE

Patients with HIV infection have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared with uninfected individuals. Antiretroviral therapy with atazanavir (ATV) delays progression of atherosclerosis markers; whether this reduces cardiovascular disease event risk compared with other antiretroviral regimens is currently unknown.

DESIGN

Population-based, noninterventional, historical cohort study conducted from 1 July 2003 through 31 December 2015.

SETTING

Veterans Health Administration hospitals and clinics throughout the United States.

PARTICIPANTS

Treatment-naive patients with HIV infection (N = 9500).

ANTIRETROVIRAL EXPOSURES

Initiating antiretroviral regimens containing ATV, other protease inhibitors, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), or integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs).

MAIN OUTCOME/EFFECT SIZE MEASURES

Incidence rates of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and all-cause mortality within each regimen. ATV versus other protease inhibitor, NNRTI, or INSTI covariate-adjusted hazard ratios by using Cox proportional hazards models and inverse probability of treatment weighting.

RESULTS

Incidence rates for MI, stroke, and all-cause mortality with ATV-containing regimens (5.2, 10.4, and 16.0 per 1000 patient-years, respectively) were lower than with regimens containing other protease inhibitors (10.2, 21.9, and 23.3 per 1000 patient-years), NNRTIs (7.5, 15.9, and 17.5 per 1000 patient-years), or INSTIs (13.0, 33.1, and 21.5 per 1000 patient-years). After inverse probability of treatment weighting, adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for MI, stroke, and all-cause mortality with ATV-containing regimens versus all non-ATV-containing regimens were 0.59 (0.41-0.84), 0.64 (0.50-0.81), and 0.90 (0.73-1.11), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Among treatment-naive HIV-infected patients in the Veterans Health Administration initiating ATV-containing regimens, risk of both MI and stroke were significantly lower than in those initiating regimens containing other protease inhibitors, NNRTIs, or INSTIs.

Association of Macrophage Inflammation Biomarkers With Progression of Subclinical Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis in HIV-Infected Women and Men

Background

Monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages promote atherosclerosis through increased inflammation and vascular remodeling. This may be especially true in chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Methods

We examined 778 women (74% HIV+) in the Women's Interagency HIV Study and 503 men (65% HIV+) in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study who underwent repeated B-mode carotid artery ultrasound imaging in 2004-2013. We assessed baseline associations of the serum macrophage inflammation markers soluble (s)CD163, sCD14, galectin-3 (Gal-3), and Gal-3 binding protein (Gal-3BP) with carotid plaque formation (focal intima-media thickness >1.5 mm) over 7 years.

Results

Marker levels were higher in HIV+ persons versus HIV- persons. Presence of focal plaque increased over time: from 8% to 15% in women, and 24% to 34% in men. After adjustment for demographic, behavioral, and cardiometabolic factors, and CRP and interleukin-6, each standard deviation increase in sCD14 was associated with increased plaque formation (risk ratio [RR] 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.43). This pattern was consistentby sex. sCD163 was associated with plaque formation in virally suppressed HIV+ men (RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.04-2.22); Gal-3BP and Gal-3 were not associated with increased plaque.

Conclusions

sCD14 and sCD163 may play important roles in atherogenesis among HIV+ persons.

Pitavastatin versus pravastatin in adults with HIV-1 infection and dyslipidaemia (INTREPID): 12 week and 52 week results of a phase 4, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, superiority trial

BACKGROUND

People living with HIV-1 infection are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease than seronegative adults. Treatment of dyslipidaemia with statins has been challenging in people with HIV because of an increased potential for drug interactions due to competing cytochrome P450 metabolism between statins and commonly used antiretroviral agents. Neither pitavastatin nor pravastatin depend on cytochrome P450 for primary metabolism. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of pitavastatin versus pravastatin in adults with HIV and dyslipidaemia.

METHODS

In the INTREPID (HIV-infected patieNts and TREatment with PItavastatin vs pravastatin for Dyslipidemia) randomised, double-blind, active-controlled, phase 4 trial (INTREPID, we recruited adults aged 18-70 years with controlled HIV (with CD4 counts >200 cells per μL and HIV-1 RNA <200 copies per mL) on antiretroviral therapy for at least 6 months and dyslipidaemia (LDL cholesterol 3·4-5·7 mmol/L and triglycerides ≤4·5 mmol/L) from 45 sites in the USA and Puerto Rico. Patients being treated with darunavir, or who had homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia or any condition causing secondary dyslipidaemia, or a history of statin intolerance, diabetes, or coronary artery disease were not eligible. We randomly assigned patients (1:1) to pitavastatin 4 mg or pravastatin 40 mg with matching placebos once daily orally for 12 weeks, followed by a 40 week safety extension. Randomisation was stratified by viral hepatitis B or C coinfection and computer-generated. Investigators, patients, study staff, and those assessing outcomes were masked to treatment group. The primary endpoint was percentage change in fasting serum LDL cholesterol from baseline to week 12 and the primary efficacy analysis was done in the modified intention-to-treat population. The safety analysis included all patients who took at least one dose of study medication. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01301066.

FINDINGS

Between Feb 23, 2011, and March 29, 2013, we randomly assigned 252 patients to the pitavastatin (n=126) or pravastatin group (n=126). LDL cholesterol reduction was 31·1% with pitavastatin and 20·9% with pravastatin (least squares mean difference -9·8%, 95% CI -13·8 to -5·9; p<0·0001) at 12 weeks. At week 52, four patients (3%) in the pitavastatin group and six (5%) in the pravastatin group had virological failure, with no significant difference between treatments. Both treatments had neutral effects on glucose metabolism parameters. 85 patients treated with pitavastatin (68%) and 88 patients treated with pravastatin (70%) reported treatment-emergent adverse events, and these caused study discontinuation in six patients (5%) versus five patients (4%). No serious adverse event occurred in more than one participant and none were treatment-related according to investigator assessment. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were diarrhoea in the pitavastatin group (n=12, 10%) and upper respiratory tract infection in the pravastatin group (n=14, 11%). 11 treatment-emergent serious adverse events were noted in seven patients (6%) in the pitavastatin group (atrial septal defect, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chest pain, diverticulitis, enterovesical fistula, gastroenteritis, viral gastroenteritis, herpes dermatitis, multiple fractures, respiratory failure, and transient ischaemic attack) and four events in three patients (2%) in the pravastatin group (cerebrovascular accident, arteriosclerosis coronary artery, myocardial infraction, and muscle haemorrhage). In the pravastatin treatment group, one additional patient discontinued due to an adverse event (prostate cancer that was diagnosed during the screening period, 42 days before first dose of study treatment, and therefore was not a treatment-emergent adverse event).

INTERPRETATION

The INTREPID results support guideline recommendations for pitavastatin as a preferred drug in the treatment of dyslipidaemia in people with HIV.

FUNDING

Kowa Pharmaceuticals America and Eli Lilly and Company.

Aging with HIV in the ART era

In the current era of therapy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), life expectancy for persons living with HIV (PLWH) approaches that of the general population. This newly prolonged survival among PLWH is associated with an increased prevalence of comorbidities due to the inflammation, immune activation and immune senescence associated with HIV infection. Higher prevalence of tobacco and alcohol use, co-infection with viral hepatitis and traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia contribute as well. In this review, we hope to describe the current comorbidities occurring among PLWH and bring increased awareness for conditions that may otherwise not be considered given the younger age at time of presentation.

Arterial stiffness in HIV-infected youth and associations with HIV-related variables

Children and young adults infected with HIV are at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, scarce data exist on the utility of non-invasive methods to diagnose subclinical CVD, such as pulse wave velocity (PWV), a non-invasive measure of arterial stiffness. The objectives of this study were to assess the relationship of carotid-femoral PWV with subclinical atherosclerosis measured by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), compare measurements to healthy controls, and evaluate variables associated with PWV in HIV-infected youth. One hundred and one 8-25 year-old subjects on stable antiretroviral therapy with low-level viremia or an undetectable HIV-1 RNA were enrolled, along with 86 healthy controls similar in age, sex and race. There was no significant difference in PWV between groups (median (Q1, Q3): 5.7 (5.2, 6.3) vs 5.7 (4.9, 6.5) m/s; P = 0.81). Among the HIV-infected subjects, PWV was positively correlated with both internal carotid artery (R = 0.31, P = 0.02) and carotid bulb IMT (R = 0.29, P = 0.01). In multivariable regression, only current alcohol consumption and systolic blood pressure were independently associated with PWV in the HIV-infected group (where current alcohol consumption and higher systolic blood pressure were associated with higher PWV); whereas, age, body mass index, and current marijuana use were associated with PWV in healthy controls. In this study of PWV in HIV-infected youth, measures of arterial stiffness were not different between subjects and controls. However, in HIV-infected youth, there was a significant association between PWV and carotid IMT, as well as between PWV and current alcohol consumption. Thus, PWV may have potential as a useful, non-invasive method to assess CVD risk in HIV-infected youth, but further investigation is needed.

Atazanavir and Cardiovascular Risk Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients: A Systematic Review

Introduction

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). While viral suppression with antiretroviral therapy decreases CVD risk overall, several studies have suggested that certain antiretrovirals, particularly certain protease inhibitors, may be associated with an increased relative risk of CVD. In AIDS Clinical Trials Group 5260 s, ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (ATV) was associated with slower atherosclerosis progression compared to ritonavir-boosted darunavir and raltegravir, potentially due to hyperbilirubinemia. Although hyperbilirubinemia may lead to increased rates of treatment discontinuation, it may also contribute to a favorable cardiovascular (CV) profile for ATV. To fully elucidate the effect of ATV on CVD risk among HIV-infected patients, a systematic review of the literature was performed.

Methods

A systematic search of the PubMed and Embase databases was conducted on August 26, 2015, using terms to identify papers that discuss ATV, HIV, and CVD. Articles were limited to English-language publications of randomized-controlled or observational studies investigating adult humans. The primary outcome was the incidence of CVD. Articles describing surrogate markers of CVD were also included.

Results

Ten studies were included in this qualitative analysis: six reported CVD outcomes, two reported data on atherosclerosis as assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), and two reported outcomes related to endothelial function. The studies reporting the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) among HIV-infected patients showed that ATV (boosted and unboosted) was not associated with an increased risk of acute MI. Other CV endpoints were similarly unaffected by treatment with ATV. Compared with non-ATV-based regimens, ATV had beneficial effects on cIMT progression in the publications identified, with no apparent impact on endothelial function.

Conclusions

This analysis showed that there was no increased risk or occurrence of adverse CV events among HIV-infected patients receiving ATV. Markers of atherosclerosis were improved, suggesting a possible antioxidant effect of ATV, and endothelial function was not affected.

Funding

Bristol-Myers Squibb (article processing charges and medical writing support).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s40121-016-0132-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.