CD4-Cell Count, Viral Load, and Risk for Heart Attack

Low CD4-cell count was one of the strongest risk factors for heart attack in a cohort of HIV-infected patients.

HIV-infected patients have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease than the general population, but the specific reasons are still being untangled. In this study, investigators evaluated the roles of CD4-cell count and viral load in risk for acute myocardial infarction (MI).

The study involved 6517 HIV-infected patients in a Boston-based healthcare system (mean age, 46; 70% men; 55% white) who were seen on at least two occasions between late 1998 and early 2008. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors were highly prevalent: Half the patients had a history of smoking, 26% were hypertensive, 16% were diabetic, 10% had a known history of coronary artery disease, and 7% had chronic kidney disease.

A total of 273 study participants (4.2%) had an …

Reviewing Author

Keith Henry, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardViiV Advisory Board

Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

Keith Henry, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardViiV Advisory Board

Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

CD4-Cell Count, Viral Load, and Risk for Heart Attack

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Reviewing Author