Abstract
Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is higher among people living with HIV (PLHIV), especially aging patients. With the aging population of PLHIV, evaluating their CVD risk prediction is important but underexplored in Uganda.
Objective: We determined lifestyle risk factors and estimated the 10-year risk of developing CVD among PLHIV aged 40 and older in Eastern Uganda.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital and Bugobero Health Center IV HIV clinics in Eastern Uganda in May and July 2023. We included 297 PLHIV aged ≥ 40 years on ART for ≥ 6 months. Data were collected on sociodemographics, clinical parameters, lifestyle risk factors, weight, height, fasting blood glucose, and blood pressure. The 10-year CVD risk was determined using the World Health Organization’s CVD risk non-laboratory-based charts. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models examined factors associated with high CVD risk. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Participants had a mean age of 51.8 (SD: 7.9). Only 13.5% were smokers, 58.6% consumed alcohol, and 4.1% were physically inactivity. Obesity was observed in 10.1%, 45.1% were hypertensive, and 14.1% diabetic. Most participants (61.3%, 95% CI: 55.5–66.9%) had a <5% 10-year CVD risk. Living with HIV for ≥10 years was associated with high CVD risk (≥10%) (aOR: 3.83, 95% CI: 1.25-6.69, p=0.018).
Conclusion: There was a low predicted CVD risk among most PLHIV. However, the high prevalence of hypertension, if not addressed, could increase the future risk of CVD among aging PLHIV in Uganda.