Excess Risk for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Outcomes Among US Adults With HIV in the Current Era

Abstract

Background

In the 2000s, adults with HIV had a higher risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ( ASCVD) compared with those without HIV. There is uncertainty if this excess risk still exists in the United States given changes in antiretroviral therapies and increased statin use.

Methods and Results

We compared the risk for ASCVD events between US adults aged ≥19 years with and without HIV who had commercial or supplemental Medicare health insurance between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2016. Beneficiaries with HIV (n=82 426) were frequency matched 1:4 on age, sex, and calendar year to those without HIV (n=329 704). Beneficiaries with and without HIV were followed up through December 31, 2016, for ASCVD events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and lower extremity artery disease hospitalizations. Most beneficiaries were aged <55 years (79%) and men (84%). Over a median follow‐up of 1.6 years (maximum, 6 years), there were 3287 ASCVD events, 2190 myocardial infarctions, 891 strokes, and 322 lower extremity artery disease events. The rate per 1000 person‐years among beneficiaries with and without HIV was 5.53 and 3.49 for ASCVD, respectively, 3.58 and 2.34 for myocardial infarction, respectively, 1.49 and 0.94 for stroke, respectively, and 0.65 and 0.31 for lower extremity artery disease hospitalizations, respectively. The multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI) for ASCVD, myocardial infarction, stroke, and lower extremity artery disease hospitalizations comparing beneficiaries with versus without HIV was 1.29 (1.18–1.40), 1.26 (1.13–1.39), 1.30 (1.11–1.52), and 1.46 (1.11–1.92), respectively.

Conclusions

Adults with HIV in the United States continue to have a higher ASCVD risk compared with their counterparts without HIV.