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. 2024 May;25(5):614-621.
doi: 10.1111/hiv.13611. Epub 2024 Jan 11.

Clinical epidemiology of COVID-19 in people of black ethnicity living with HIV in the UK

Zoe Ottaway  1   2 , Lucy Campbell  1   2 , Laura R Cechin  1 , Nisha Patel  1 , Julie Fox  2   3 , Fiona Burns  4   5 , Lisa Hamzah  6 , Stephen Kegg  7 , Melanie Rosenvinge  7 , Sarah Schoeman  8 , David Price  9 , Rachael Jones  10 , Amanda Clarke  11 , Irfaan Maan  5   12 , Andrew Ustianowski  13 , Denis Onyango  14 , Shema Tariq  5   12 , Robert F Miller  5   12 , Frank A Post  1   2 ; COVID‐AFRICA study group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Clinical epidemiology of COVID-19 in people of black ethnicity living with HIV in the UK

Zoe Ottaway et al. HIV Med. 2024 May.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the clinical epidemiology of COVID-19 in people of black ethnicity living with HIV in the UK.

Methods: We investigated the incidence and factors associated with COVID-19 in a previously established and well-characterized cohort of black people with HIV. Primary outcomes were COVID-19 acquisition and severe COVID-19 disease (requiring hospitalization and/or resulting in death). Cumulative incidence was analysed using Nelson-Aalen methods, and associations between demographic, pre-pandemic immune-virological parameters, comorbidity status and (severe) COVID-19 were identified using Cox regression analysis.

Results: COVID-19 status was available for 1847 (74%) of 2495 COVID-AFRICA participants (median age 49.6 years; 56% female; median CD4 cell count = 555 cells/μL; 93% HIV RNA <200 copies/mL), 573 (31%) of whom reported at least one episode of COVID-19. The cumulative incidence rates of COVID-19 and severe COVID-19 were 31.0% and 3.4%, respectively. Region of ancestry (East/Southern/Central vs. West Africa), nadir CD4 count and kidney disease were associated with COVID-19 acquisition. Diabetes mellitus [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 2.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26-4.53] and kidney disease (aHR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.26-4.53) were associated with an increased risk, and recent CD4 count >500 cells/μL (aHR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.25-0.93) with a lower risk of severe COVID-19.

Conclusions: Region of ancestry was associated with COVID-19 acquisition, and immune and comorbidity statuses were associated with COVID-19 disease severity in people of black ethnicity living with HIV in the UK.

Keywords: COVID‐19; HIV; black; hospitalization; incidence.

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References

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