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Background Steatotic liver disease is suggested to have a higher prevalence and severity in people with HIV (PHIV), including in those with a normal body mass index (BMI). In this study, we used data from the 2000HIV cohort to (1) assess the prevalence of liver steatosis and fibrosis in lean versus overweight/obese PHIV and (2) assess associations in these subgroups between steatosis and fibrosis with traditional risk factors and HIV-specific characteristics. Methods The 2000HIV study cohort comprises 1895 virally suppressed PHIV that were included between 2019 and 2021 in 4 HIV treatment centers in the Netherlands. The majority (58.5%) underwent vibration-controlled transient elastography for the assessment of liver steatosis and fibrosis. The prevalence of steatosis (controlled attenuation parameter ≥263 dB/m) and fibrosis (liver stiffness measurement ≥7.0 kPa) was estimated. Multiple factors including HIV characteristics and antiretroviral drugs were tested in a logistic regression model for association with steatosis and fibrosis. Analyses were performed separately for lean (Asian descent: BMI < 23 kg/m2, other descent: BMI < 25 kg/m2) and overweight/obese (other BMI) participants. Results Of 1050 PHIV including 505 lean and 545 overweight/obese PHIV, liver steatosis was observed in 37.7% of the overall study population, 19.7% of lean, and 54% of overweight/obese PHIV, whereas fibrosis was observed in 9.0% of the overall study population, 5.9% of lean, and 12.0% of overweight/obese PHIV. All associations with fibrosis and most associations with steatosis concerned metabolic factors such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (overall population: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for steatosis: 2.3 [1.21-4.4], P =.011; aOR for fibrosis: 3.7 [1.82-7.53], P <.001). Furthermore, in lean PLHIV, liver steatosis was associated with CD4 and CD8 counts at enrollment, dual therapy, and history of treatment with raltegravir (aOR: 3.6 [1.53-8.47], P =.003), stavudine (aOR: 3.73 [1.69-8.2], P =.001), and indinavir (aOR: 3.86 [1.59-9.37], P =.003). These associations were not observed in overweight/obese PHIV. Conclusions Liver steatosis was highly prevalent, affecting approximately one-fifth of lean PHIV and half of overweight/obese PHIV. Fibrosis was observed in a minority. Both steatosis and fibrosis were associated with traditional metabolic risk factors. In addition, (prior) exposure to specific antiretroviral drugs was associated liver steatosis in lean, but not in overweight/obese PHIV. Implementing increased screening protocols could enhance the identification of steatotic liver disease in lean PHIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In people living with HIV (PLHIV), integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are part of the first-line combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), while non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based regimens are alternatives. Distinct cART regimens may variably influence the risk for non-AIDS comorbidities. We aimed to compare the metabolome and lipidome of INSTI and NNRTI-based regimens. The 2000HIV study includes asymptomatic PLHIV (n = 1646) on long-term cART, separated into a discovery cohort with 730 INSTI and 617 NNRTI users, and a validation cohort encompassing 209 INSTI and 90 NNRTI users. Baseline plasma samples from INSTI and NNRTI users were compared using mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomic (n = 500) analysis. Perturbed metabolic pathways were identified using MetaboAnalyst software. Subsequently, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used for targeted lipoprotein and lipid (n = 141) analysis. Metabolome homogeneity was observed between the different types of INSTI and NNRTI. In contrast, higher and lower levels of 59 and 45 metabolites, respectively, were found in the INSTI group compared to NNRTI users, of which 77.9% (81/104) had consistent directionality in the validation cohort. Annotated metabolites belonged mainly to 'lipid and lipid-like molecules', 'organic acids and derivatives' and 'organoheterocyclic compounds'. In pathway analysis, perturbed 'vitamin B1 (thiamin) metabolism', 'de novo fatty acid biosynthesis', 'bile acid biosynthesis' and 'pentose phosphate pathway' were detected, among others. Lipoprotein and lipid levels in NNRTIs were heterogeneous and could not be compared as a group. INSTIs compared to individual NNRTI types showed that HDL cholesterol was lower in INSTIs compared to nevirapine but higher in INSTIs compared to doravirine. In addition, LDL size was lower in INSTIs and nevirapine compared to doravirine. NNRTIs show more heterogeneous cardiometabolic effects than INSTIs, which hampers the comparison between these two classes of drugs. Targeted lipoproteomic and lipid NMR spectroscopy showed that INSTI use was associated with a more unfavorable lipid profile compared to nevirapine, which was shifted to a more favorable profile for INSTI when substituting nevirapine for doravirine, with evidently higher fold changes. The cardiovascular disease risk profile seems more favorable in INSTIs compared to NNRTIs in untargeted metabolomic analysis using mass-spectrometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common among older women. However, diagnosis is challenging because of frequent chronic lower urinary tract symptoms, cognitive impairment, and a high prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB). Current urine diagnostics lack specificity, leading to unnecessary treatment and antimicrobial resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 12 urine biomarkers for diagnosing UTI in older women. In this case-control study, cases were women ≥65 years with ≥2 new-onset lower urinary tract symptoms, pyuria, and one uropathogen ≥104 CFU/mL. Controls were asymptomatic and classified as ASB (one uropathogen ≥105 CFU/mL), negative culture, or mixed flora. Urine biomarker concentrations were measured through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and ELISA. Diagnostic accuracy parameters of individual biomarkers and a biomarker model were derived from receiver operating characteristic curves. We included 162 community-dwelling and institutionalized older women. Five urine inflammatory biomarkers demonstrated high discriminative ability (area under the curve ≥0.80): interleukin 6, azurocidin, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2, and C-X-C motif chemokine 9. Azurocidin exhibited the highest diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity 86% [95% CI 75%–93%] and specificity 89% [95% CI 82%–94%] at 16.7 ng/mmol creatinine). A combined biomarker and pyuria model showed improved diagnostic accuracy in patients with UTI and ASB, compared with pyuria alone. We identified several urine biomarkers that accurately differentiated older women with UTI from asymptomatic women, including ASB. These findings represent a potential advancement towards improved diagnostics for UTI in older women and warrant validation in a diverse population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]