Cocaine use associated gut permeability and microbial translocation in people living with HIV in the Miami Adult Study on HIV (MASH) cohort.

ObjectiveDetermine if cocaine use impacts gut permeability, promotes microbial translocation and immune activation in people living with HIV (PLWH) using effective antiretroviral therapy (ART).MethodsCross-sectional analysis of 100 PLWH (ART ≥6 months, HIV-RNA ResultsA total of 37 cocaine users and 63 cocaine non-users were evaluated. Cocaine users had higher levels of I-FABP (7.92±0.35 vs. 7.69±0.56 pg/mL, P = 0.029) and LPS (0.76±0.24 vs. 0.54±0.27 EU/mL, PConclusionsCocaine use was associated with markers of gut permeability, microbial translocation, and immune activation in virally suppressed PLWH. Mitigation of cocaine use may prevent further gastrointestinal damage and immune activation in PLWH.