Abstract
OBJECTIVESAs HIV/AIDS is becoming a chronic disease, the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) among people living with HIV/AIDS is rising. Anxiety and depression, which are common among people living with HIV/AIDS, have been linked with CVD. This study investigated the risk of CVD in people living with HIV/AIDS and explored the effects of depression and anxiety on CVD risk.METHODSData were collected for 457 people enrolled in the Korea Cohort HIV/AIDS study after 2010. Framingham risk scores were calculated to quantify the 10-year risk of developing CVD. Depression and anxiety variables were re-coded as a single combined variable. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed, adjusting for age, body mass index, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), duration of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positivity after entry into the cohort, and depression/anxiety.RESULTSParticipants with both depression and anxiety were 2.28 times more likely than those with neither depression nor anxiety to have moderate/high-risk CVD risk. The 10-year risk of developing CVD was affected by LDL cholesterol, TG, age, and duration of HIV infection. LDL cholesterol and TG levels change according to the duration of HIV infection, and metabolic disorders affect the risk of CVD. Thus, a longer duration of HIV infection is associated with a higher risk of developing CVD.CONCLUSIONSScreenings for depression and anxiety need to be provided regularly to assess the severity of those symptoms. To help decrease their risk of developing CVD, people living with HIV/AIDS should be offered behavioral modification interventions aimed at developing healthy lifestyle habits.
Highlights
The number of people living with HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has gradually been increasing, while both new infections and deaths due to HIV/AIDS have been decreasing [1].In Korea, 1,222 new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases were reported in 2019 (1,111 men and 111 women, with a 10:1 male/female ratio)
As the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly reduced HIV/AIDS-related mortality rates, people living with HIV/AIDS have become more exposed to the risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) through the aging process [1]
A cohort study demonstrated that reducing the cardiovascular risk factor burden may result in substantial reduction in CVD risk among people living with HIV/AIDS [7]
Summary
The number of people living with HIV/AIDS has gradually been increasing, while both new infections and deaths due to HIV/AIDS have been decreasing [1]. In Korea, 1,222 new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases were reported in 2019 (1,111 men and 111 women, with a 10:1 male/female ratio). The highest proportion of new cases was found among those in their 20s (35.8%), followed by those in their 30s (27.9%) and those in their 40s (16.5%); altogether, peo-. As the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly reduced HIV/AIDS-related mortality rates, people living with HIV/AIDS have become more exposed to the risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) through the aging process [1]. Even with HAART, immune activation persists in people living with HIV/AIDS and may contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis of coronary lesions [4]
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