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Background The aims of this study were to identify common patterns of comorbidities observed in people living with HIV (PLWH), using a data-driven approach, and evaluate associations between patterns identified. Methods A wide range of comorbidities were assessed in PLWH participating in 2 independent cohorts (POPPY: UK/Ireland; AGEhIV: Netherlands). The presence/absence of each comorbidity was determined using a mix of self-reported medical history, concomitant medications, health care resource use, and laboratory parameters. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on Somers’ D statistic was applied to identify patterns of comorbidities. Results PCA identified 6 patterns among the 1073 POPPY PLWH (85.2% male; median age [interquartile range {IQR}], 52 [47–59] years): cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), mental health problems, cancers, metabolic disorders, chest/other infections. The CVDs pattern was positively associated with cancer (r = .32), metabolic disorder (r = .38), mental health (r = .16), and chest/other infection (r = .17) patterns (all P < .001). The mental health pattern was correlated with all the other patterns (in particular cancers: r = .20; chest/other infections: r = .27; both P < .001). In the 598 AGEhIV PLWH (87.6% male; median age [IQR], 53 [48–59] years), 6 patterns were identified: CVDs, chest/liver, HIV/AIDS events, mental health/neurological problems, STDs, and general health. The general health pattern was correlated with all the other patterns (in particular CVDs: r = .14; chest/liver: r = .15; HIV/AIDS events: r = .31; all P < .001), except STDs (r = –.02; P = .64). Conclusions Comorbidities in PLWH tend to occur in nonrandom patterns, reflecting known pathological mechanisms and shared risk factors, but also suggesting potential previously unknown mechanisms. Their identification may assist in adequately addressing the pathophysiology of increasingly prevalent multimorbidity in PLWH.

BACKGROUND: Alirocumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9), has been shown to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in patients who are receiving statin therapy. Larger and longer-term studies are needed to establish safety and efficacy.METHODS: We conducted a randomized trial involving 2341 patients at high risk for cardiovascular events who had LDL cholesterol levels of 70 mg per deciliter (1.8 mmol per liter) or more and were receiving treatment with statins at the maximum tolerated dose (the highest dose associated with an acceptable side-effect profile), with or without other lipid-lowering therapy. Patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive alirocumab (150 mg) or placebo as a 1-ml subcutaneous injection every 2 weeks for 78 weeks. The primary efficacy end point was the percentage change in calculated LDL cholesterol level from baseline to week 24.RESULTS: At week 24, the difference between the alirocumab and placebo groups in the mean percentage change from baseline in calculated LDL cholesterol level was -62 percentage points (PCONCLUSIONS: Over a period of 78 weeks, alirocumab, when added to statin therapy at the maximum tolerated dose, significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels. In a post hoc analysis, there was evidence of a reduction in the rate of cardiovascular events with alirocumab. (Funded by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; ODYSSEY LONG TERM ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01507831.).

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals may be at increased risk of age-associated noncommunicable comorbidities (AANCCs). Cross-sectional analyses of AANCC prevalence (including cardiovascular, metabolic, pulmonary, renal, bone, and malignant disease) and risk factors in a prospective cohort study of HIV type 1-infected individuals and HIV-uninfected controls, who were aged ≥45 years and comparable regarding most lifestyle and demographic factors. HIV-infected participants (n = 540) had a significantly higher mean number of AANCCs than controls (n = 524) (1.3 [SD, 1.14] vs 1.0 [SD, 0.95]; P < .001), with significantly more HIV-infected participants having ≥1 AANCC (69.4% vs 61.8%; P = .009). Hypertension, myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, and impaired renal function were significantly more prevalent among HIV-infected participants. Risk of AANCC by ordinal logistic regression was independently associated with age, smoking, positive family history for cardiovascular/metabolic disease, and higher waist-to-hip ratio, but also with HIV infection (odds ratio, 1.58 [95% confidence interval, 1.23-2.03]; P < .001). In those with HIV, longer exposure to CD4 counts

Apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) mutations carriers typically display high plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low triglycerides (TGs). We set out to investigate the prevalence and clinical consequences of APOC3 mutations in individuals with hyperalphalipoproteinemia. Two novel mutations (c.-13-2A>G and c.55+1G>A) and one known mutation (c.127G>A;p.Ala43Thr) were found. Lipid profiles and apoCIII isoform distributions were measured. c.55+1G>A mutation carriers displayed higher HDL-C percentiles (35.6 ± 35.8 vs 99.0 ± 0, p = 0.002) and lower TGs (0.51 (0.37-0.61) vs 1.42 (1.12-1.81) mmol/l, p = 0.007) and apoCIII levels (4.24 ± 1.57 vs 7.33 ± 3.61 mg/dl, p = 0.18). c.-13-2A>G mutation carriers did not display significantly different HDL-C levels (84.0 ± 30.0 vs 63.7 ± 45.7, p = 0.50), a trend towards lower TGs [0.71 (0.54 to 0.78) vs 0.85 (0.85 to -) mmol/l, p = 0.06] and significantly lower apoCIII levels (3.09 ± 1.08 vs 11.45 ± 1.06 mg/dl, p = 0.003). p.Ala43Thr mutation carriers displayed a trend towards higher HDL-C percentiles (91.2 ± 31.8 vs 41.0 ± 29.7 mmol/l, p = 0.06) and significantly lower TGs [0.58 (0.36-0.63) vs 0.95 (0.71-1.20) mmol/l, p = 0.02] and apoCIII levels (4.92 ± 2.33 vs 6.60 ± 1.60, p = 0.25). Heterozygosity for APOC3 mutations results in high HDL-C and low TGs and apoCIII levels. This favourable lipid profile in patients with genetically low apoCIII levels holds promise for current studies investigating the potential of apoCIII inhibition as a novel therapeutic in cardiovascular disease prevention

There is a strong need to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) beyond the use of statins that lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The inverse relationship of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) with cardiovascular disease suggests HDL-C raising therapy as a novel target. This review discusses the role of HDL-C in atherogenesis as well as the promise of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibition in CVD prevention. While genetic studies show conflicting results on correlations between HDL-C and CVD, experimental studies have yielded sufficient encouraging data to proceed with the development of HDL-C raising strategies. CETP inhibition has been shown to successfully increase HDL-C levels in man. However, the first CETP inhibitor tested in phase III trials increased mortality possibly due to torcetrapib-specific vasopressor effects. More recently, dalcetrapib did not show an effect on CVD outcome while raising HDL-C by 30%, thereby refuting the HDL-C hypothesis. Anacetrapib and evacetrapib are currently tested in phase III clinical trials and have not shown adverse effects thus far. Both compounds not only increase HDL-C by 129-151%, they also decrease LDL-C (36-41%) and anacetrapib lowers Lp(a) (17%). Combined, these effects are anticipated to decrease CVD risk and the results will be revealed in 2017.

We present the case of a patient with clinical features of familial dysbetalipoproteinaemia (FD) including high levels of total cholesterol, hypertriglyceridaemia and the presence of palmar xanthomas. Whereas genotype analysis identified the APOE3E3 isoform, sequence analysis revealed the presence of one APOE1 allele due to a mutation, p.Lys164Glu, which leads to loss of function of apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a rare cause of dominant FD

BACKGROUND: Patients at risk for cardiovascular disease require medical treatment to optimise their lipid profile. Failure to reach optimal lipid levels contributes significantly to the residual cardiovascular risk in treated patients. In the DYSIS -Netherlands study, residual lipid profile abnormalities in patients on stable statin therapy in the Netherlands were assessed. METHODS: As part of a multinational cross-sectional cohort study conducted in Canada and Europe, 1212 patients were included in the Netherlands. Patients aged 45 years and older were included if they had taken statins for at least three months. Data on demographics, cardiovascular history and cardiovascular risk profile were recorded, and compared using European Society of Cardiology (ES C) risk classification. RESULTS: In 1139 patients, total lipid profile was measured. In this population ESC LDL-cholesterol normal levels were not achieved in 33.3% (n=379), whereas 71.7% (n=817) did not reach the three-normal level: for LDL cholesterol, plus they had low HDL cholesterol and/or elevated triglycerides. In the high-risk group (n=1036), LDL-cholesterol levels were not at goal in 33.3% (n=345). In the entire cohort, only 28.3% (n=322) of patients receiving statin therapy reached normal levels for all lipid parameters. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients receiving statin therapy fail to reach normal levels for lipid parameters. Although the final results of ongoing outcome trials using combinations of lipid-altering treatments should be awaited, optimisation of lipid management is still amenable to improvement in the Netherlands