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November 30, 2006
COPD More Likely in Patients With HIV (Reuters Health)
by David Douglas
In keeping with findings in the pre-HAART era, it appears that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) continues to be more common in patients who are HIV-positive compared to those who are HIV negative, researchers report in the November issue of Chest.
"Our work," senior investigator Dr. Amy C. Justice told Reuters Health, "strongly suggests that individuals with HIV infection are at a clinically important increased risk of COPD after accounting for known risk factors."
Dr. Justice of the VA Connecticut Health System, West Haven and colleagues conducted a prospective observational study of more than 1000 HIV-positive and 700 HIV-negative men. Their ages ranged from 49 to 61 years.
The prevalence of COPD by ICD-9 codes and by self-report was 10% and 15% in the HIV group. In the negative group, the corresponding proportions were 9% and 12%.
However, after adjustment for factors including pack-years of smoking and alcohol abuse, HIV-infected subjects were found to be about 50% to 60% more likely to have COPD.
"Since smoking is a modifiable risk factor for COPD," continued Dr. Justice, "our work suggests that HIV care providers should encourage smoking cessation among their HIV-positive patients."
"Similarly," she concluded, "HIV care providers should also consider more aggressive screening for and treatment of COPD."
