Insulin Resistance Change and Antiretroviral Therapy Exposure in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Rwandan Women: A Longitudinal Analysis

BACKGROUND: We longitudinally assessed predictors of insulin resistance (IR) change among HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected (ART-initiators and ART-non-initiators) Rwandan women. METHODOLOGY: HIV-infected (HIV+) and uninfected (HIV-) women provided demographic and clinical measures: age, body mass index (BMI) in Kg/(height in meters)(2), Fat-Mass (FMI) and Fat-Free-Mass (FFMI) index, fasting serum glucose and insulin. Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) was calculated to estimate IR change over time in log(10) transformed HOMA measured at study enrollment or prior to ART initiation in 3 groups: HIV- (n = 194), HIV+ ART-non-initiators (n=95) and HIV+ ART-initiators (n=371). ANCOVA linear regression models of change in log(10)-HOMA were fit with all models included the first log(10) HOMA as a predictor. RESULTS: Mean±SD log(10)-HOMA was -0.18±0.39 at the 1(st) and -0.21±0.41 at the 2(nd) measure, with mean change of 0.03±0.44. In the final model (all women) BMI at 1(st) HOMA measure (0.014; 95% CI=0.006-0.021 per kg/m(2); p<0.001) and change in BMI from 1(st) to 2(nd) measure (0.024; 95% CI=0.013-0.035 per kg/m(2); p<0.001) predicted HOMA change. When restricted to subjects with FMI measures, FMI at 1(st) HOMA measure (0.020; 95% CI=0.010-0.030 per kg/m(2); p<0.001) and change in FMI from 1(st) to 2(nd) measure (0.032; 95% CI=0.020-0.043 per kg/m(2); p<0.0001) predicted change in HOMA. While ART use did not predict change in log(10)-HOMA, untreated HIV+ women had a significant decline in IR over time. Use or duration of AZT, d4T and EFV was not associated with HOMA change in HIV+ women. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline BMI and change in BMI, and in particular fat mass and change in fat mass predicted insulin resistance change over ~3 years in HIV-infected and uninfected Rwandan women. Exposure to specific ART (d4T, AZT, EFV) did not predict insulin resistance change in ART-treated HIV-infected Rwandan women.