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IntroductionPatients with HIV infection are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to complex interactions between traditional CVD risk factors, antiretroviral therapy (ART) and HIV infection itself [1]. Prevention of CVD is essential as it remains the most common serious non‐AIDS event and contributes significantly to all‐cause mortality. A cardiovascular risk‐assessment model tailored to HIV population is thus essential.Materials and MethodsWe conducted a retrospective case‐control study within the HIV cohort of the Saint‐Pierre Hospital, Brussels. Cases (n=73) presented a first CVD (ischemic heart disease or stroke) between January 2002 and December 2012. Controls (n=142) were patients without any CVD and were matched for age, race, sex and follow‐up duration. We used Wilcoxon test to identify predictors of cardiovascular risk among the data collected. We compared Framingham [2] and DAD (Data Collection on Adverse Events of anti‐HIV drugs) [3] equations calculated in all patients at time of event, two, four and six years before. We then simulated the impact on the DAD scores if different therapeutic interventions had been introduced when patient cardiovascular risk at ten years exceeded 20%.ResultsComparison of cases and controls showed that C‐reactive protein (CRP) >3 mg/L (p=0.008) and HIV viral load >50 copies/ml (p=0.007) at time of event, as well as slower increase in CD4 cell count (p=0.035), were significantly more frequent in cases. DAD and Framingham median scores in cases and controls are shown in Figure 1 and Table 1. Smoking cessation lowered the DAD score of cases at time of event from 21.6% to 18.3%, modification of ART (discontinuation of indinavir, lopinavir and abacavir) lowered it from 21.6% to 17%, while both interventions with control of blood pressure and cholesterol lowered it from 21.6% to 12.4%.ConclusionsIncreased CRP levels, uncontrolled HIV viral load at time of event and slower immunologic response were found to be associated with increased CVD risk. DAD score in cases increased more and faster over time than the Framingham score and seems therefore to be more accurate in identifying HIV‐positive patients at high risk of CVD. Different therapeutic interventions could have led to a significant reduction of the DAD score in these patients and should remain a priority in patient management.

BackgroundNon‐AIDS‐defining malignancies (NADM) are becoming a major cause of mortality in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy. We wished to investigate the incidence, risks factors and outcome of NADM in an urban cohort.MethodsWe carried out an observational cohort of HIV patients with 12,746 patient‐years of follow up between January 2002 and March 2009. Socio‐demographics and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with NADM were retrospectively compared with the rest of the cohort. Causes of death and risk factors associated with NADM were assessed using logistic regression. Survival analyses were performed with Kaplan‐Meier estimates. Cancer incidences were compared with those of the general population of the Brussels‐Capital Region using the standardized incidence ratio (SIR).ResultsForty‐five NADM were diagnosed. At inclusion in the study, patients with NADM were older than patients without NADM (47 years vs. 38 years, p < 0.001), had a longer history of HIV infection (59 months vs. 39 months, p = 0.0174), a lower nadir CD4 count (110 cells/mm3 vs. 224 cells/mm3, p < 0.0001) and a higher rate of previous AIDS events (33% vs. 20%, p = 0.0455) and of hepatitis C virus co‐infection (22.2% vs. 10%, p = 0.0149). In multivariate analysis, age over 45 at baseline (OR 3.25; 95% CI 1.70‐6.22) and a nadir CD4 count of less than 200 cells/mm3 (OR 3.10; 95% CI 1.40‐6.87) were associated with NADM. NADM were independently associated with higher mortality in the cohort (OR 14.79; 95% CI 6.95‐31.49). Women with cancer, the majority of whom were of sub‐Saharan African origin, had poorer survival compared with men. The SIR for both sexes were higher than expected for Hodgkin's lymphoma (17.78; 95% CI 6.49‐38.71), liver cancers (8.73; 95% CI 2.35‐22.34), anal cancers (22.67; 95% CI 8.28‐49.34) and bladder cancers (3.79; 95% CI 1.02‐9.70). The SIR for breast cancer was lower in women (SIR 0.29; 95% CI 0.06‐0.85).ConclusionsAge over 45 and a nadir CD4 count of less than 200 cells/mm3 were predictive of NADM in our cohort. Mortality was high, especially in sub‐Saharan African women. Cancers with increased incidences were Hodgkin's lymphoma and anal, bladder and liver cancers in both sexes; women had a lower incidence of breast cancer.

IntroductionCervical infection with high‐risk human papillomavirus (HRHPV) induces cervical cancer and is present in 14% of women in Europe. We assessed the prevalence and incidence of cervical HRHPV in a cohort of HIV‐positive women living in Belgium.MethodsProspective observational program of screening and follow up of HRHPV cervical infection performed by Hybrid Capture in 825 HIV‐positive women between 2002 and 2011. Women without normal cervix at baseline were excluded.ResultsThe final analysis included 652 women: median age 38 years, African origin (81%), median HIV follow‐up (66 months), median CD4 count (426 cells/μL) and 79% on antiretroviral therapy (cART). At baseline, HRHPV prevalence was 43% and decreased significantly as both age and CD4 cell count increased: highest prevalence (100%) in women <30 years and <200 CD4/μL and lowest (19%) in women >40 years and >500 CD4/μL (p<0.0001, multivariate analysis). The relative risk (RR) to carry HRHPV at baseline decreases proportionally by 11% for each 5 years‐age increase and by 11% for each 100 CD4 cells/μL rise (RR=0.89, 95% CI: 0.85‐0.93; p<0.0001, Poisson regression for both). During follow‐up, incidence rate of HRHPV was 13.4 per 100 women‐years.ConclusionsWe found a high HRHPV prevalence of 43% and an incidence rate of 13 per 100 women‐years in this cohort of HIV‐positive women living in Europe and on cART. Women under 40 years‐age had the highest prevalence even with CD4 count >350 cells/μL. The magnitude of HRHPV epidemiology should prompt to evaluate the clinical efficacy of vaccines against HPV in HIV‐infected women.

This paper on the biological tests carried out on serum/plasma samples from donors of human body material (HBM) is the result of a project of the working Group of Superior Health Council of Belgium formed with experts in the field of HBM and infectious serology. Indeed, uncertainty about the interpretation of biological test results currently leads to the sometimes unjustified cancelling of planned donations or the rejection of harvested HBM, whilst more sophisticated diagnostic algorithms would still allow the use of organs or HBM that would otherwise have been rejected. NAT tests will not be discussed in this publication. In the first part some general aspects as the need for a formal agreement between the Tissue Establishment l and the laboratory responsible for the biological testing, but also some specifications regarding testing material, the choice of additional biological tests, and some general aspects concerning interpretation and reporting are discussed. In a second part, detailed information and recommendations concerning the interpretation are presented for each of the mandatory tests (human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and syphilis) is presented. A number of not mandatory, but regularly used optional serological tests (e.g. for the detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii, Epstein–Barr virus, human T cell leukemia virus and cytomegalovirus) are also extensively discussed. Although the project was meant to provide clarification and recommendations concerning the Belgian legislation, the majority of recommendations are also applicable to testing of donors of tissues and cells in other (European) countries. ; SCOPUS: ar.j ; SCOPUS: er.j ; info:eu-repo/semantics/published