Sign in Subscribe
Cardiovascular diseases

HIV Infection Linked to Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in People Living with HIV

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers have found that people living with HIV (PLHIV) are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to the presence of HIV infection. This increased risk is attributed to higher levels of inflammation and immune activation associated with the virus. A recent study published in PeerJ has shed light on the relationship between anthropometric indices and body composition in PLHIV, revealing that when evaluating CVD risk, it is more reliable to associate waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and conicity index (CI) together rather than using these indices separately.

Key Takeaways:

  • The presence of HIV infection is associated with an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), which can be attributed to increased levels of inflammation and immune activation.
  • People living with HIV (PLHIV) are at a higher risk of developing metabolic disorders, including obesity and body fat redistribution.
  • The study concluded that when evaluating the risk of CVD in PLHIV, it is more reliable to associate WHR, WHtR, and CI together than to use these indices separately.
  • Total body fat (BF) can be associated with CI or WHR for a risk assessment.
  • The study consisted of 17 PLHIV of both sexes, and the anthropometric indices measured included body weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, body fat (BF), WHR, WHtR, and CI.
  • The level of significance was set at p<0.05, and the associations were verified using the Pearson's 'r' coefficient.
  • The study highlights the importance of considering the anthropometric indices together when assessing CVD risk in PLHIV.

Statistics:

  • 17 PLHIV of both sexes were included in the study.
  • The level of significance was set at p<0.05.
  • The Pearson's 'r' coefficient was used to verify the associations between anthropometric indices and body composition.
  • The study found that WHR, WHtR, and CI together are more reliable than using these indices separately for evaluating CVD risk.

Sources:

  • Associations of anthropometric indices with body adiposity for assessing cardiovascular risk in people living with HIV: a cross-sectional study. PeerJ, 2025,13():e18833.
  • NewsRx. Study Findings on HIV/AIDS Detailed by Researchers at Federal University Rio Grande do Norte (Associations of anthropometric indices with body adiposity for assessing cardiovascular risk in people living with HIV: a cross-sectional study). AIDS Weekly. November 3, 2025; p 151.

Read more