Does Syphilis Increase the Risk of HIV-RNA Elevation >200 Copies/mL in HIV-Positive Patients Under Effective Antiretroviral Treatment? Data From the ICONA Cohort.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

To assess the impact of syphilis infection on the risk of HIV-RNA elevation in people living with HIV (PLWH) with current HIV-RNA ≤50 copies/mL.

SETTING:

The Italian Cohort Naive Antiretrovirals.

METHODS:

All PLWH (2009-2020) under antiretroviral treatment with at least 2 consecutive HIV-RNA values ≤50 copies/mL before the date of syphilis diagnosis and at least 1 HIV-RNA determination after the syphilis event were enrolled. A control group of PLWH without syphilis was matched for mode of HIV transmission. Outcomes were defined using the first HIV-RNA measure in the time window ranging between -2 and +6 months of the diagnosis/index date. The primary outcome used a single value >200 copies/mL to define HIV-RNA elevation associated with risk of transmission. The association between syphilis infection and the protocol defined outcome was evaluated using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS:

Nine hundred twenty-six PLWH with a syphilis event were enrolled and matched with a random sample of 1370 PLWH without syphilis. Eighteen of the 926 (1.9%) with syphilis had ≥1 HIV-RNA >200 copies/mL in the window vs. 29/1370 (2.1%) of the not exposed (P = 0.77). In the multivariable analysis adjusted for age, year of diagnosis/index date, and clinical site, syphilis infection was not associated with the risk of HIV-RNA >200 copies/mL (adjusted odds ratio 0.81; 95% confidence interval 0.43-1.52, P = 0.508).

CONCLUSIONS:

We did not find any evidence for an association between syphilis infection and viral elevation >200 copies/mL.

• Authors: Andrea Giacomelli, Alessandro Cozzi-Lepri, Antonella Cingolani, Alessandro Tavelli, Valentina Mazzotta, Daniele Tesoro, Matteo Bassetti, Antonella Castagna, Antonio Di Biagio, Miriam Lichter, Antonella d'Arminio Monforte, Stefano Rusconi, ICONA Foundation Study Group
• Journal: Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) (J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr) Vol. 88 Issue 2 Pg. 132-137 (10 01 2021) ISSN: 1944-7884 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 34138773 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Observational Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• RNA

Topics

• Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active (methods)
• Coinfection
• HIV Infections (complications, drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Humans
• Italy (epidemiology)
• RNA (therapeutic use)
• Syphilis (complications, epidemiology)
• Viral Load