Combination antiretroviral therapy and the risk of myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
It remains controversial whether exposure to combination antiretroviral treatment increases the risk of myocardial infarction.


METHODS
In this prospective observational study, we enrolled 23,468 patients from 11 previously established cohorts from December 1999 to April 2001 and collected follow-up data until February 2002. Data were collected on infection with the human immunodeficiency virus and on risk factors for and the incidence of myocardial infarction. Relative rates were calculated with Poisson regression models. Combination antiretroviral therapy was defined as any combination regimen of antiretroviral drugs that included a protease inhibitor or a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.


RESULTS
Over a period of 36,199 person-years, 126 patients had a myocardial infarction. The incidence of myocardial infarction increased with longer exposure to combination antiretroviral therapy (adjusted relative rate per year of exposure, 1.26 [95 percent confidence interval, 1.12 to 1.41]; P<0.001). Other factors significantly associated with myocardial infarction were older age, current or former smoking, previous cardiovascular disease, and male sex, but not a family history of coronary heart disease. A higher total serum cholesterol level, a higher triglyceride level, and the presence of diabetes were also associated with an increased incidence of myocardial infarction.


CONCLUSIONS
Combination antiretroviral therapy was independently associated with a 26 percent relative increase in the rate of myocardial infarction per year of exposure during the first four to six years of use. However, the absolute risk of myocardial infarction was low and must be balanced against the marked benefits from antiretroviral treatment.
Friis-Møller
Nina
N
Sabin
Caroline A
CA
Weber
Rainer
R
d'Arminio Monforte
Antonella
A
El-Sadr
Wafaa M
WM
Reiss
Peter
P
Thiébaut
Rodolphe
R
Morfeldt
Linda
L
De Wit
Stephane
S
Pradier
Christian
C
Calvo
Gonzalo
G
Law
Matthew G
MG
Kirk
Ole
O
Phillips
Andrew N
AN
Lundgren
Jens D
JD
D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents