Hepatitis C virus and cumulative infections are associated with atherogenic cardiovascular events in HIV-infected subjects

Abstract

Objectives: to analyze the association between HCV coinfection and cumulative infections with the development of a cardiovascular disease in HIV-infected subjects.

Methods: HIV-infected subjects attended at Virgen del Rocio University Hospital, between January 1982 and March 2018, were considered if fulfilled the following criteria: at least two visits to the HIV clinic, clinical records with data about VZV reactivation and bacterial infections, available data on HCV coinfection status. Atherogenic cardiovascular events were registered. To analyze factors associated with the development of cardiovascular event, a logistic regression analysis was performed.

Results: 823 subjects were included in the study. During the observational period, 58/823 (7.05%) developed a cardiovascular event. Advanced age at HIV-1 diagnosis, a low T-CD4 nadir, HCV coinfection and the burden of infections were independently associated with the risk of developing a cardiovascular event, apart from lipid levels and diabetes.

Conclusions: both HCV and the burden of infections are associated with an increased risk of cardivascular event in HIV-infected patients, together with other cardiovascular risk factors. Therapeutic strategies such as HCV erradication or VZV immunization could ameliorate cardiovascular risk in these subjects.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; HIV; Hepatitis C; Infection.