Mechanisms and primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among people living with HIV

Lack of impact of HIV status on carotid intima media thickness in a cohort of stroke patients in South Africa

INTRODUCTION

People living with HIV (PLWH) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) is a validated surrogate marker of atherosclerosis, and an accurate predictor of future cardiovascular events. It is uncertain whether HIV potentiates stroke risk through atherosclerosis in Sub-Saharan Africa and what effect HIV status has on cIMT. We sought to investigate the relationship between HIV status and cIMT in stroke patients in a region that is burdened with dual epidemics of HIV and stroke in the young.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with new onset ischaemic stroke were recruited from a quaternary-level hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 2014 to November 2017. Patients were assessed for the presence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and HIV infection, and investigated for stroke aetiology. cIMT was measured using high resolution B-mode ultrasound following standardized techniques.

RESULTS

168 patients were included in the study, of which 62 (36.9%) were PLWH. Mean cIMT was higher in HIV-uninfected patients when compared to PLWH (0.79 ± 0.19 mm vs 0.69 ± 0.18 mm, p = 0.0021). However after adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, total cholesterol, body mass index and stroke aetiology, there was no difference in mean cIMT between the groups (0.76 ± 0.16 mm vs 0.73 ± 0.17 mm, p = 0.29). Regression models revealed the determinants of cIMT to be age (p < 0.0001), hypertension (p = 0.0098) and total cholesterol (p = 0.005), while the determinants of increased cIMT (≥0.70 mm) were only age (p < 0.0001) and hypertension (p = 0.0002).

CONCLUSION

HIV status had no effect on cIMT in our cohort of stroke patients. The main determinants of cIMT were age and hypertension.

HIV-Associated Pseudoaneurysms: A Comprehensive Review

A pseudoaneurysm (PSA) is a contained vascular rupture that typically occurs following catheterization, at the anastomotic site between a native artery and a synthetic graft, post-trauma, or as a result of infection. It is characterized by a hematoma surrounded by tissue, often emerging as a complication of invasive arterial interventions. In patients with HIV/AIDS, PSAs can develop due to vessel wall disruption caused by chronic inflammation, opportunistic infections (such as cytomegalovirus or tuberculosis), or the direct effects of the virus, leading to abnormal blood flow into a chamber confined by adjacent tissue. The clinical presentation of PSAs varies based on their size and location. Diagnosis can be achieved through ultrasonography with color Doppler, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), or digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Treatment modalities include surgery, ultrasound-guided compression, thrombin injection, and endovascular techniques. This review discusses the pathophysiology, histology, diagnosis, and therapeutic options for HIV-related PSAs. Additionally, risk factors and rare complications associated with PSAs are explored in detail.

Advances in the Management of Cardiovascular Disease in the Setting of Human Immunodeficiency Virus

This state-of-the art review discusses the underlying mechanisms that contribute to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure and arrhythmias among people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), risk prediction and prevention, management, and outstanding research questions, including a discussion of how the Randomized Trial to Prevent Vascular Events in HIV may inform clinical practice.

Early Onset Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

Recent trends indicate a concerning increase in early-onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) among younger individuals (age < 55 in men and <65 in women). These findings highlight the pathobiology of ASCVD as a disease process that begins early in life and underscores the need for more tailored screening methods and preventive strategies. Increasing attention has been placed on the growing burden of traditional cardiometabolic risk factors in young individuals while also recognizing unique factors that mediate risk of premature atherosclerosis in this demographic such as substance use, socioeconomic disparities, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and chronic inflammatory states that contribute to the increasing incidence of early ASCVD. Additionally, mounting evidence has pointed out significant disparities in the diagnosis and management of early ASCVD and cardiovascular outcomes based on sex and race. Moving toward a more personalized approach, emerging data and technological developments using diverse tools such as polygenic risk scores and coronary artery calcium scans have shown potential in earlier detection of ASCVD risk. Thus, we review current evidence on causal risk factors that drive the increase in early ASCVD and highlight emerging tools to improve ASCVD risk assessment in young individuals.

Development of text messages for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in persons with HIV

Objective

Persons with HIV (PWH) have increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite this increased risk, perceived cardiovascular risk among PWH is low, and interventions that are known to be beneficial in the general population, such as statins, have low uptake in this population. We sought to develop a bank of text messages about (1) the association between HIV and CVD and (2) advice on reducing cardiovascular risk.

Methods

We developed an initial bank of 162 messages. We solicited feedback from 29 PWH recruited from outpatient clinics providing HIV care at a large urban tertiary medical center and a public hospital in San Francisco, California. Participants reviewed 7-10 messages each and rated message usefulness, readability, and potential impact on behavior on a scale from 1 (least) to 5 (most). We also collected open-ended feedback on the messages and data on preferences about message timing.

Results

The average score for the messages was 4.4/5 for usefulness, 4.4/5 for readability, and 4.0/5 for potential impact on behavior. The text messages were iteratively revised based on participant feedback, and lowest-rated messages were removed from the message bank. The final message bank included 116 messages on diet (30.2%), physical activity (24.8%), tobacco (11.2%), the association between HIV and cardiovascular disease (9.5%), general heart health (6.9%), cholesterol (5.2%), blood pressure (4.3%), blood sugar (2.6%), sleep (2.6%), and weight (2.6%).

Conclusion

We describe an approach for developing educational text messages on primary prevention of cardiovascular disease among PWH.

The epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in adult patients with HIV

More than 1.2 million people in the United States have Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections but 13% of these people are unaware of their HIV infection. Current combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not cure HIV infection but rather suppresses the infection with the virus persisting indefinitely in latent reservoirs in the body. As a consequence of ART, HIV infection has changed from a fatal disease in the past to a chronic disease today. Currently in the United States, more than 45% of HIV+ individuals are greater than 50 years of age and 25% will be greater than 65 years of age by 2030. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), including myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiomyopathy, is now the major cause of death in HIV+ individuals. Novel risk factors, including chronic immune activation and inflammation in the body, antiretroviral therapy, and traditional CVD risk factors, such as tobacco and illicit drug use, hyperlipidemia, the metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic renal disease, contribute to cardiovascular atherosclerosis. This article discusses the complex interactions involving HIV infection, the novel and traditional risk factors for CVD, and the antiretroviral HIV therapies which can contribute to CVD in HIV-infected people. In addition, the treatment of HIV+ patients with acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiomyopathy/heart failure are discussed. Current recommended ART and their major side effects are summarized in table format. All medical personnel must be aware of the increasing incidence of CVD on the morbidity and mortality in HIV infected patients and must be watchful for the presence of CVD in their patients with HIV.

Agovi A, Anikpo IO, Fasanmi EO, Thompson EL, Reeves JM, Thompson CT, Johnson ME, Golub V, Ojha RP. Effect of 2018 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline Change on Statin Prescription for People Living with HIV

The American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines were updated in 2018 to explicitly recommend statin use for primary cardiovascular disease prevention among people living with HIV (PLWH), but little is known about the effect of this guideline change. We aimed to assess the effect of the 2018 ACC/AHA guideline change on statin prescription among PLWH. We used data from an institutional HIV registry to identify PLWH aged 40-75 years, engaged in HIV care between June 2016 and May 2021, had a LDL cholesterol between 70 and 189 mg/dl, 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score ≥7.5%, no prior statin prescription, and no history of diabetes or ASCVD. Our outcome of interest was a new statin prescription within 12 months of eligibility. We estimated standardized risk difference (RD) with 95% confidence limits (CL) by comparing prescription probabilities before and after guideline change. Our study population comprised 251 PLWH (171 before, 80 after the guideline change), of whom 57% were aged <55 years, 82% were male, and 45% were non-Hispanic black. The standardized 12-month statin prescription risk was 43% (95% CL: 31%, 60%) after the guideline change and 19% (95% CL: 13%, 26%) before the guideline change (RD = 25%, 95% CL: 9.1%, 40%). Our results suggest that the 2018 ACC/AHA guideline change increased statin prescription among PLWH, but a sizable proportion of eligible PLWH were not prescribed statin. Future studies are needed to identify strategies to enhance implementation of statin prescription guidelines among PLWH.

Addressing gaps in cardiovascular care for people with HIV: bridging scientific evidence and practice

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

People with HIV continue to have an excess burden of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population. The reasons for these disparities in cardiovascular disease include HIV-specific risk enhancers, traditional atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors, and sociodemographic disparities, all of which are ripe targets for intervention.

RECENT FINDINGS

Accurate risk prediction of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains difficult, and cardiovascular risk for people with HIV may be underestimated in the absence of HIV-specific risk enhancers. Despite this increased cardiovascular risk, people with HIV are undertreated and often placed on inadequate lipid lowering therapy. Structural racism and HIV-related stigma play a role, and provider-level and structural-level interventions to encourage early identification and treatment of persons at high risk are necessary.

SUMMARY

Persons with HIV should be screened with existing cardiovascular risk prediction tools, and those at high risk cardiovascular disease should be promptly referred for lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions as appropriate. System-level implementation research is ongoing in attempts to narrow the gap in cardiovascular care, particularly for vulnerable communities in low resource settings.

Prevention of heart failure, tachyarrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in HIV

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To summarize the state-of-the-art literature on the epidemiology, disease progression, and mediators of heart failure, tachyarrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death in people living with HIV (PLWH) to inform prevention strategies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent studies corroborate the role of HIV as a risk enhancer for heart failure and arrhythmias, which persists despite adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and unhealthy behaviors. Immune activation and inflammation contribute to the risk. Heart failure occurs more frequently at younger ages, and among women and ethnic minorities living with HIV, highlighting disparities. Prospective outcome studies remain sparse in PLWH limiting prevention approaches. However, subclinical cardiac and electrophysiologic remodeling and dysfunction detected by noninvasive testing are powerful disease surrogates that inform our mechanistic understanding of HIV-associated cardiovascular disease and offer opportunities for early diagnosis.

SUMMARY

Aggressive control of HIV viremia and cardiac risk factors and abstinence from unhealthy behaviors remain treatment pillars to prevent heart failure and arrhythmic complications. The excess risk among PLWH warrants heightened vigilance for heart failure and arrhythmic symptomatology and earlier testing as subclinical abnormalities are common. Future research needs include identifying novel therapeutic targets to prevent heart failure and arrhythmias and testing of interventions in diverse groups of PLWH.

Efficacy of Dulaglutide in a Patient With Type 2 Diabetes, High Cardiovascular Risk, and HIV: A Case Report

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a common comorbidity in people living with HIV (PLWH). Anti-hyperglycemic treatment in PLWH is still a challenge, and no randomized controlled studies using new glucose-lowering agents are currently available.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 55-year-old-women was admitted to our Diabetes Unit because of hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS) and sepsis. The medical history included HIV infection and insulin-treated diabetes. On clinical examination, the lady appeared dehydrated with dry buccal mucosa, tachycardia, altered mental status, genital infection, and fever. On admission, plasma glucose was 54.5 mmol/L, HbA1c 155 mmol/mol, osmolarity 389.4 mOsm/kg, bicarbonate 24.6 mmol/L with no detectable serum ketones. The patient was treated with i.v. fluid and insulin, and antibiotic therapy commenced. Upon HHS and sepsis resolution, a basal-bolus insulin therapy was implemented that was followed by significant improvement of daily glucose profiles and progressive reduction of insulin requirement until complete discontinuation. A low dose of metformin plus linagliptin was started. Since a severe atherosclerotic disease was diagnosed, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, dulaglutide, was added to metformin upon linagliptin withdrawal with maintenance of good glycemic control, treatment adherence and amelioration of quality of life and no side effects.

CONCLUSION

This case suggests that GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy may be effective and safe for treatment of T2D with high cardiovascular risk in PLWH, supporting the need of clinical trials directly assessing the safety and the efficacy of GLP-1 receptor agonist in these individuals.