OBJECTIVE—To assess the prevalence in HIV-infected patients of the metabolic syndrome as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program, i.e., three or more of the following components: abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high fasting glucose. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—In this cross-sectional study, 710 HIV-infected patients managed at the outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital during 2003 completed the study protocol consisting of a medical examination and laboratory analysis after a 12-h overnight fast. RESULTS—Metabolic syndrome prevalence was 17% and increased from 5.1% among HIV-infected patients under age 30 years to 27.0% for those aged 50–59 years. Age (per 10-year increment) (odds ratio [OR] 1.41 [95% CI 1.12–1.77]), BMI (1.27 [1.19–1.36]), past and present protease inhibitor exposure (2.96 [1.03–3.55] and 4.18 [1.4–12.5], respectively) were independently associated with the metabolic syndrome on logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, only stavudine (d4T) (1.74 [1.01–2.98]) and lopinavir/ritonavir (2.46 [1.28–4.71]) were associated with the metabolic syndrome after adjustment for age and BMI. CONCLUSIONS—The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among these HIV-infected patients is similar to that previously reported in uninfected individuals. Of specific concern is the association of protease inhibitor exposure with the metabolic syndrome and, more specifically, with exposure to stavudine and lopinavir/ritonavir when individual antiretroviral drugs were analyzed.

Lipids are indispensable in the SARS-CoV-2 infection process. The clinical significance of plasma lipid profile during COVID-19 has not been rigorously evaluated. We aim to ascertain the association of the plasma lipid profile with SARS-CoV-2 infection clinical evolution. Observational cross-sectional study including 1411 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and an available standard lipid profile prior (n: 1305) or during hospitalization (n: 297). The usefulness of serum total, LDL, non-HDL and HDL cholesterol to predict the COVID-19 prognosis (severe vs mild) was analysed. Patients with severe COVID-19 evolution had lower HDL cholesterol and higher triglyceride levels before the infection. The lipid profile measured during hospitalization also showed that a severe outcome was associated with lower HDL cholesterol levels and higher triglycerides. HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were correlated with ferritin and D-dimer levels but not with CRP levels. The presence of atherogenic dyslipidaemia during the infection was strongly and independently associated with a worse COVID-19 infection prognosis. The low HDL cholesterol and high triglyceride concentrations measured before or during hospitalization are strong predictors of a severe course of the disease. The lipid profile should be considered as a sensitive marker of inflammation and should be measured in patients with COVID-19.

Aim Assessing the effect of statin therapy at hospital admission for COVID-19 on in-hospital mortality. Methods and Results Retrospective observational study. Patients taking statins were 11 years older and had significantly more comorbidities than patients who were not taking statins. A genetic matching (GM) procedure was performed prior to analysis of the mortality risk. A Cox proportional hazards model was used for the cause-specific hazard (CSH) function, and a competing-risks Fine and Gray (FG) model was also used to study the direct effects of statins on risk. Data from reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-confirmed 2157 SARS-CoV-2-infected patients (1234 men, 923 women; age: 67 y/o (IQR 54-78)) admitted to the hospital were retrieved from the clinical records in anonymized manner. 353 deaths occurred. 581 patients were taking statins. Univariate test after GM showed a significantly lower mortality rate in patients on statin therapy than the matched non-statin group (19.8% vs. 25.4%, χ2 with Yates continuity correction: p = 0.027). The mortality rate was even lower in patients (n = 336) who maintained their statin treatments during hospitalization compared to the GM non-statin group (17.4%; p = 0.045). The Cox model applied to the CSH function (HR = 0.58(CI: 0.39-0.89); p = 0.01) and the competing risks FG model (HR = 0.60(CI: 0.39-0.92); p = 0.02) suggest that statins are associated with reduced COVID-19-related mortality. Conclusions A lower SARS-CoV-2 infection-related mortality was observed in patients treated with statin therapy prior to hospitalization. Statin therapy should not be discontinued due to the global concern of the pandemic or in patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

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