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. 2015 Oct;16(9):572-7.
doi: 10.1111/hiv.12259. Epub 2015 May 11.

Body mass index and early CD4 T-cell recovery among adults initiating antiretroviral therapy in North America, 1998-2010

J R Koethe  1 , C A Jenkins  1 , B Lau  2 , B E Shepherd  1 , M J Silverberg  3 , T T Brown  2 , A J Blashill  4 , A Anema  5 , A Willig  6 , S Stinnette  7 , S Napravnik  7 , J Gill  8 , H M Crane  9 , T R Sterling  1 ; North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD)
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Body mass index and early CD4 T-cell recovery among adults initiating antiretroviral therapy in North America, 1998-2010

J R Koethe et al. HIV Med. 2015 Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: Adipose tissue affects several aspects of the cellular immune system, but prior epidemiological studies have differed on whether a higher body mass index (BMI) promotes CD4 T-cell recovery on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The objective of this analysis was to assess the relationship between BMI at ART initiation and early changes in CD4 T-cell count.

Methods: We used the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD) data set to analyse the relationship between pre-treatment BMI and 12-month CD4 T-cell recovery among adults who started ART between 1998 and 2010 and maintained HIV-1 RNA levels < 400 copies/mL for at least 6 months. Multivariable regression models were adjusted for age, race, sex, baseline CD4 count and HIV RNA level, year of ART initiation, ART regimen and clinical site.

Results: A total of 8381 participants from 13 cohorts contributed data; 85% were male, 52% were nonwhite, 32% were overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m(2) ) and 15% were obese (BMI > 30 kg/m(2) ). Pretreatment BMI was associated with 12-month CD4 T-cell change (P < 0.001), but the relationship was nonlinear (P < 0.001). Compared with a reference of 22 kg/m(2) , a BMI of 30 kg/m(2) was associated with a 36 cells/μL [95% confidence interval (CI) 14, 59 cells/μL] greater CD4 T-cell count recovery among women and a 19 cells/μL (95% CI 9, 30 cells/μL) greater recovery among men at 12 months. At a BMI > 30 kg/m(2) , the observed benefit was attenuated among men to a greater degree than among women, although this difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions: A BMI of approximately 30 kg/m(2) at ART initiation was associated with greater CD4 T-cell recovery at 12 months compared with higher or lower BMI values, suggesting that body composition may affect peripheral CD4 T-cell recovery.

Keywords: HIV; antiretroviral therapy; immune reconsitition; nutrition; obesity.

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Figures

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Figure
Relationship of BMI at ART initiation and 12 month CD4+ T-cell recovery among NA-ACCORD participants with virologic suppression
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