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Observational Study
. 2025 Mar 17;231(3):622-632.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiae603.

A Biomarker Profile Reflective of Preserved Thymic Function Is Associated With Reduced Comorbidities in Aging People With HIV: An AGEhIV Cohort Analysis

Manon C Vanbellinghen  1   2   3   4 , Anders Boyd  1   2   5   6 , Neeltje A Kootstra  2   7 , Maarten F Schim van der Loeff  1   2   6 , Marc van der Valk  1   2   5 , Peter Reiss  1   2   3   4 ; AGEhIV Cohort study group
Collaborators, Affiliations
Observational Study

A Biomarker Profile Reflective of Preserved Thymic Function Is Associated With Reduced Comorbidities in Aging People With HIV: An AGEhIV Cohort Analysis

Manon C Vanbellinghen et al. J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: People with HIV (PWH) experience a higher burden of aging-associated comorbidities, the underlying mechanisms of which remain to be fully elucidated. We aimed to identify profiles based on immune, inflammatory, and aging biomarkers in blood from PWH and controls, and explore their association with total comorbidities over time.

Methods: Latent profile analysis was used to construct biomarker profiles in AGEhIV cohort participants (94 with well-controlled HIV on antiretroviral therapy [ART] and 95 controls without HIV) using baseline measurements of selected biomarkers. Factors associated with profile membership were assessed by multivariable logistic regression. The association between profiles and mean total comorbidities during follow-up was assessed by Poisson regression, stratified by HIV status. Comorbidities included type 2 diabetes, non-AIDS malignancies, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, chronic kidney disease. and frailty.

Results: Three biomarker profiles were identified: "high thymic output/low inflammation" (HT/LI) profile (n = 27 PWH, n = 9 controls), "low thymic output/high inflammation" (LT/HI) profile (n = 29 PWH, n = 26 controls), and an "intermediate" profile (n = 38 PWH, n = 60 controls). Only HIV status was significantly associated with profile membership. PWH, relative to controls, more often exhibited the HT/LI profile compared to other profiles. In PWH, but not in controls, the HT/LI profile was associated with significantly lower mean comorbidities during a median 8.0 years (interquartile range, 7.1-8.1) of follow-up.

Conclusions: People aging with well-controlled HIV on ART were more likely to exhibit a biomarker profile indicative of preserved thymic function and less chronic inflammation compared to controls. PWH with such a profile seemed relatively protected from developing aging-associated comorbidities.

Clinical trials registration: NCT01466582.

Keywords: HIV; aging; comorbidity; inflammation; profiles.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest. A. B. has received speaker's fees from Gilead Sciences, Inc. M. F. S. v. d. L. has received independent scientific grant support from GSK; and has served on advisory boards of MSD and Novosanis; all payments were made to his institution. M. v. d. V. has received independent scientific grant support and consultancy fees from AbbVie, Gilead Sciences, MSD, and ViiV Healthcare, for which honoraria were all paid to his institution. P. R. has received independent scientific grant support from Gilead Sciences, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Merck and Co, and ViiV Healthcare; and has served on scientific advisory boards for Gilead Sciences, ViiV Healthcare, and Merck and Co, honoraria for which were all paid to his institution. All other authors report no potential conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.

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