The prevalence of hyperglycemia and its impact on mortality among people living with HIV in Georgia

BACKGROUND: Life expectancy and quality of life of people living with HIV have been dramatically improved after introducing antiretroviral therapy, and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases has increased. Several studies have found that hyperglycemia with or without type 2 diabetes was associated with poor outcomes in people living with HIV. The study’s objective was to determine the prevalence of hyperglycemia and assess its impact on mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among people living with HIV diagnosed in 2012–2018 and followed through 2020 at the Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center in Tbilisi, Georgia. Primary outcomes of interest included the prevalence of hyperglycemia and mortality. Causes of death were classified according to the Coding of Death in HIV (CoDe) protocol. RESULTS: Our study included 2914 people living with HIV. Two hundred and forty-two (8.3%) patients had hyperglycemia, with an increasing prevalence by age. Three hundred one (9.7%) participants died over the median 3.71 (IQR: 2.14–5.37) years of follow-up. Among these, 139 (46.2%) were due to AIDS- related causes, 123 (40.9%)—were due to non-AIDS causes, and in 39 (12.9%) cases, the cause of death could not be determined. Overall, the cohort contributed to 11,148 person-years of follow-up (PYFU), translating into a mortality rate of 2.70 deaths per 100 PYFU. The mortality rate was significantly higher among individuals with hyperglycemia—11.17 deaths per 100 PYFU vs 2.07 deaths per 100 PYFU among normoglycemic patients(p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperglycemia was associated with increased odds of mortality. Screening and management of hyperglycemia should be integrated into routine HIV clinical services as part of a comprehensive care package.