HIV was not linked to an age-related blood condition in veterans
The adjusted odds ratio was 0.99 for veterans with HIV versus those without; a value of one would mean no association.
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
Researchers assessed 1,524 older US veterans with HIV and 852 without HIV for clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) in an observational study. This age-related condition involves an expanded group of blood cells descended from a cell with an acquired mutation. After accounting for age, sex, race and smoking, they found no association between HIV and CHIP. The range of likely values included no difference between the groups.
Among participants without heart or blood vessel disease at enrollment, CHIP was not associated with new cases overall during a median 12.5 years of follow-up. However, the association differed by HIV status: CHIP was linked to lower risk among veterans without HIV. The researchers said the observed interaction between CHIP and HIV warranted further investigation into possible combined effects on cardiovascular risk.
Why it matters
Age-related changes in blood-forming cells are one candidate explanation for heart and blood vessel disease risk that persists in people with HIV despite viral suppression.
Caveats
This observational study cannot establish cause and effect. The report was a conference abstract, and its findings may not extend beyond older US veterans.
- Smoking
- HIV
- Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential
- Acute myocardial infarction
- Cardiovascular disease
- Humans
