To examine inflammatory and metabolic signatures in youth with perinatally acquired HIV (YPHIV) compared to age- and sex-matched HIV-negative comparators from urban and rural Uganda.
Key Findings:
Rural YPHIV lived in extreme poverty compared to urban YPHIV (P < .001), highlighting socioeconomic disparities.
Urban YPHIV had higher body mass index, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (P < .001), indicating metabolic differences.
Rural YPHIV exhibited higher levels of inflammatory markers including sCD14, sCD163, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (P ≤ .001), suggesting increased inflammation.
After adjustments, only sCD14 remained elevated in rural YPHIV (β: 1.1; 95% CI, .2–2.0), emphasizing the need for targeted interventions.
Interpretation:
The study highlights significant differences in metabolic and inflammatory profiles between urban and rural YPHIV, emphasizing the need for targeted health interventions in rural populations to address these disparities.
Limitations:
Cross-sectional design limits causal inferences and may affect the interpretation of associations.
Potential biases in self-reported socioeconomic data.
Limited generalizability due to specific regional focus.
Conclusion:
Inclusion of rural populations in HIV research is crucial to address comorbidities in aging YPHIV, as metabolic and inflammatory profiles differ significantly from their urban counterparts, necessitating tailored health interventions.
by Sahera Dirajlal-Fargo, Shan Sun, Kate Ailstock, Morgan Cummings, Nate Lucas, Rashida Nazzinda, Christine Karungi, Daisy Faith Oryem, Robert Kidega, Victor Musiime, Cissy Kityo, Grace A McComsey, Nicholas Funderburg
