Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors by HIV status in a population‐based cohort in South Central Uganda: a cross‐sectional survey

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of mortality for people living with HIV, but limited population‐based data are available from sub‐Saharan Africa. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of key cardiovascular disease risk factors, 10‐year risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus through risk scores by HIV status, as well as investigate factors associated with hyperglycaemia, hypertension and dyslipidaemia in South‐Central Uganda. METHODS: A cross‐sectional study was conducted in 37 communities of the population‐based Rakai Community Cohort Study from May 2016 to May 2018. In total, 990 people living with HIV and 978 HIV‐negative participants aged 35–49 years were included. Prevalence estimates and 10‐year cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes risk were calculated by sex and HIV serostatus. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine associations between socio‐demographic, lifestyle and body composition risk factors and hyperglycaemia, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. RESULTS: Overweight (21%), obesity (9%), abdominal obesity (15%), hypertension (17%) and low high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) (63%) were the most common cardiovascular risk factors found in our population. These risk factors were found to be less common in people living with HIV apart from hypertension. Ten‐year risk for cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes mellitus risk was low in this population with <1% categorized as high risk. In HIV‐adjusted multivariable analysis, obesity was associated with a higher odds of hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35–3.96) and high triglycerides (OR = 2.08, CI 1.25–3.47), and abdominal obesity was associated with a higher odds of high triglycerides (OR = 2.55, CI 1.55–4.18) and low HDL (OR = 1.36, CI 1.09–1.71). A positive HIV status was associated with a lower odds of low HDL (OR = 0.43, CI 0.35–0.52). CONCLUSIONS: In this population‐based study in Uganda, cardiovascular risk factors of obesity, abdominal obesity, hypertension and dyslipidaemia were found to be common, while hyperglycaemia was less common. Ten‐year risk for cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes mellitus risk was low. The majority of cardiovascular risk factors were not affected by HIV status. The high prevalence of dyslipidaemia in our study requires further research.