Open AccessIncidence of cardiometabolic diseases in a Lesotho HIV cohort: Evidence for policy decision-making
Author(s) -
Motlalepula Sebilo,
Neo Ledibane,
Simbarashe Takuva
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
southern african journal of hiv medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.859
H-Index - 18
eISSN - 2078-6751
pISSN - 1608-9693
DOI - 10.4102/sajhivmed.v22i1.1246
Subject(s) - medicine , interquartile range , hazard ratio , cohort , incidence (geometry) , proportional hazards model , body mass index , confidence interval , diabetes mellitus , pediatrics , cohort study , regimen , physics , optics , endocrinology
Background Antiretroviral treatment (ART) has been associated with the development of certain cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs). The burden of CMDs amongst ART-experienced patients in sub-Saharan Africa was unknown. Objective We quantified the burden of CMDs and identified the associated risk factors in a large treatment cohort on ART at a high-volume facility in Lesotho. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we extracted data from the daily dispensing electronic system and routine clinical records of 785 adults on ART between 2011 and 2015 in Maseru, Lesotho. CMD was defined as a diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes mellitus or dyslipidaemia (singly or collectively). Descriptive statistics were used to describe the disease burden; Kaplan–Meier curves and cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models were fitted to examine the impact of the ART regimen and identify the risk factors associated with the occurrence of CMD. Results Of the 785 participants, 473 (60%) were women. The median age of the group was 42 years, interquartile range (IQR), 36–51 years. The overall incidence of CMD was 5.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.4–7.1) per 100 person-months of follow-up. The median time to onset of CMD was 16.6 months (IQR = 7.4–23.4). ART was not associated with the occurrence of CMD (cause-specific hazard ratio [CHR] = 1.55; 95% CI = 0.14–16.85; P = 0.72). Higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with the occurrence of diabetes mellitus (CHR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.14–1.38; P = 0.026). Conclusion The incidence of CMD in this relatively young patient population is low yet noteworthy. We recommend that patients living with HIV and AIDS should be routinely screened for CMD. Higher BMI is generally associated with the occurrence of CMD.