Prevalence of metabolic risk factors for non-communicable diseases in treatment-naïve HIV patients in inner-city Johannesburg

Abstract

Background: South Africa faces a quadruple burden of disease with a rising prevalence of both HIV and non-communicable diseases (Cage et al., 2023). Increased life expectancy in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) has contributed to increasing rates of metabolic diseases and co-morbidities. The prevalence of metabolic risk factors among PLWHIV and associated risks need to be addressed to allow strategic integration into healthcare and reduce the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and patterns of metabolic risk factors in HIV-positive, treatment-naïve participants (those that have not yet initiated treatment) in inner-city Johannesburg. Methodology: A retrospective, cross-sectional study design was conducted on all patients enrolled in the ADVANCE WRHI060 clinical trial from 2 February 2017 to 8 May 2018 at baseline, before the initiation of ART. Socio-demographic, behavioural and clinical characteristics were extracted from the patient electronic database. For all statistical comparisons, a 5% level of significance was applied; correspondingly 95% confidence intervals were used to describe effect size. Outcome variables were categorised, and the Chisquared test was used to analyse associations between data. Logistic-regression analysis was used to examine the association between metabolic risk factors and other sociodemographic or behavioural factors.