Risk of Thyroid Dysfunction Not Associated With HIV Status

The prevalence of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism is similar in uninfected patients and those with well-treated HIV, suggesting that there is no association between thyroid dysfunction, serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations, and HIV status, according to a study published in AIDS. 

A group of investigators from Denmark conducted a longitudinal group analysis, The Copenhagen Comorbidity in HIV Infection Study (COCOMO; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02382822), to evaluate the association of non-AIDS morbidities in HIV-positive individuals. 

The researchers invited HIV-positive adults (n=826) and uninfected controls (n=2503) to participate in the trial. Blood samples were collected to record glycated hemoglobin values, as well as glucose and serum TSH levels. Statistical analysis was used to study the link between thyroid dysfunction and HIV as well as the link between HIV and serum TSH.

The majority of individuals with HIV (95%) had undetectable viral replication. Of this group, 3.8% (n=31) and 0.8% (n=7) had hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, respectively. In the control group, 4.6% (n=114) and 0.8% (n=21) had hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, respectively. 

After adjusting for known risk factors, no associations were identified between HIV and hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (odds ratio, 0.8 and 1.1, respectively). 

“This study is the first ever to evaluate thyroid dysfunction in a large cohort of well-treated [people living with HIV] and uninfected controls in the modern [combination antiretroviral therapy] era,” the authors noted. “We found no association between HIV and thyroid dysfunction. Furthermore, HIV-related variables were not associated with hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Thus, no evidence was found to support increased risk of thyroid dysfunction in well-treated [people living with HIV].”

Disclosure: This study was supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Lundbeck Foundation, The Research Council of University Hospital of Copenhagen Rigshospitalet, and Region Hovedstaden.

Harsløf M, Knudsen AD, Benfield T, Nordestgaard BG, Feldt-Rasmussen U, Nielsen SD. No evidence of increased risk of thyroid dysfunction in well-treated people living with HIV [published online July 12, 2018]. AIDS. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000001954

From the October 01, 2018 Issue of Clinical Advisor