Framingham Cardiac Risk Score Predicts Outcomes in Older HIV Patients

Elevated Framingham cardiac risk and a history of depression and smoking are associated with adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in HIV-positive patients aged 50 years or older, according to new data presented at IDWeek 2018.

The study, authored by Sarah Sansom, DO, and colleagues, was presented on October 6, at IDWeek 2018 in San Francisco.

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To reach their conclusions, the researchers analyzed data from the CORE50 cohort study, a cross-sectional study of 121 patients who were HIV positive that set out to identify predictors of CV outcomes as well as the impact of the Framingham cardiac risk score on CV outcomes and mortality.

Over the more than 10-year follow-up of participants in the CORE50 study, 22 (18%) had died. Of those deaths, 18.2% had been due to a CV event.

The researchers found that Framingham cardiac risk was associated with increased CV events as well as with increased death.

“HIV care providers should focus on the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors to reduce future morbidity and mortality,” the researchers wrote. “Appropriate use of statins, glucose control, blood pressure control, antiretroviral therapy, and smoking cessation counseling should be targeted in this population.”

Participants who had had a history of protease inhibitor use, who were currently using integrase inhibitors, who had a history of depression, or who smoked also had an increased risk for CV event. Aspirin use, however, was associated with decreased mortality. 

“[The study] suggests that [Framingham cardiac risk] use in HIV-positive patients is useful for risk stratification of CV disease,” the researchers concluded. “It is important to manage cardiac risk factors in older HIV patients to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.”

—Colleen Murphy

Reference:

Sansom S, Burke K, Adeyemi O. Predictors of cardiovascular outcomes in older HIV-infected patients: CORE50 cohort 10 year follow up. Poster presented at: IDWeek 2018; October 3-7, 2018; San Francisco, CA. https://idsa.confex.com/idsa/2018/webprogram/Paper70413.html. Accessed October 18, 2018.