COVID-19 in people living with HIV: a single-center descriptive study

Abstract

Introduction: People living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) may suffer more severe symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their immunocompromised status, even if they are undetectable. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has been reported as an independent factor associated with higher mortality in patients with COVID-19. The present study aims to describe the clinical characteristics of PLHIV and COVID-19 in one center in Mexico.

Methodology: We conducted an observational retrospective monocentric cohort study of PLHIV diagnosed with COVID-19 between 1 March 2020 and 30 April 2021. SARS-CoV-2 was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of a nasopharyngeal swab sample, clinical features, and epidemiological characteristics.

Results: We identified 55 PLHIV with COVID-19. The median age was 36 years (IQR 25–41.5 years), and 54 patients were men. The median duration of HIV-1 infection was 4.3 years (Interquartile range, IQR 2.6–7.2 years), and 100% were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The last HIV-1 RNA viral load analysis of the patients was 52/55 (94.5%) indicating that they were in virological suppression. The median CD4+ T-cell count was 734/mm³ (IQR 541.5-921/mm³). The most frequent pre-existing comorbidities found were obesity (21.8%), hypertension (7.2%), and diabetes (5.4%). Only one death was reported (1.8%).

Conclusions: It has been reported that COVID-19/HIV/AIDS co-infection has a higher risk of mortality, admission to intensive care, and complications. However, our study found that people living with HIV-1 with adequate virological control did not present a severe course of COVID -19.