Sarcopenic Obesity Phenotypes in Patients With HIV: Implications for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation

Abstract

Background: We aimed to describe prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for sarcopenic obesity (SO) phenotypes in people living with HIV (PWH) and their association with subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods: Observational, longitudinal study of PWH. A minimum of 1 criterion was necessary to diagnose sarcopenia: weak hand grip (HG), low appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI), short physical performance battery (SPPB < 11). Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m² or visceral adipose tissue (VAT) ≥ 160 cm². These variables combined generated 5 SO phenotypes: severe SO: low HG + low ASMI + low SPPB + high BMI; SO1: weak HG + high VAT; SO2: weak HG + high BMI; SO3: low ASMI + high VAT; SO4: low ASMI + high BMI. Subclinical CVD was defined as carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) ≥ 1 mm, presence of carotid plaque, or coronary artery calcification (CAC) score > 10.

Results: Among 2379 male PWH 72%, median age was 52 years, median HIV vintage 21 years, and median BMI 24 kg/m². Two PWH had severe SO. The prevalence of SO1-SO4 was 19.7%, 3.6%, 20.8% and 0.8%, respectively. Incidence of SO1-SO4 was 6.90, 1.2, 5.6, and 0.29 × 100 person-years, respectively. SO1 was associated with risk of IMT ≥ 1, and SO3 with risk of CAC score > 10.

Conclusions: There was a large variability in incidence and prevalence of SO phenotypes. The presence of SO may have important implications for cardiovascular prevention and cardiac rehabilitation of PWH who suffered events.