Cardiovascular Risk Assessment Varies Widely by Calculator and Race/Ethnicity in a Majority Latinx Cohort Living with HIV.

Comparison of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk calculators in Latinx majority populations living with HIV can assist clinicians in selecting a calculator and interpreting results. 10-year CVD risks were estimated for 652 patients seen ≥ 2 times over 12 months in a public clinic using three risk calculators: Atherosclerotic CVD risk Calculator (ASCVD), Framingham Risk Calculator (FRC), and Data Collection on Adverse Effects of Anti-HIV Drugs Study (D:A:D) Calculator. Median estimated 10-year CVD risk in this population was highest using FRC (11%), followed by D:A:D (10%), and lowest with ASCVD (5%; p < 0.

Improving HIV Care Engagement in the South from the Patient and Provider Perspective: The Role of Stigma, Social Support, and Shared Decision-Making.

Initial linkage to medical care is a critical step in the HIV care continuum leading to improved health outcomes, reduced morbidity and mortality, and decreased HIV transmission risk. We explored differences in perspectives on engagement in HIV care between people living with HIV who attended (Arrived) their initial medical provider visit (IMV) and those who did not (Missed), and between patients and providers. The study was conducted in two large majority/minority HIV treatment centers in the United States (US) south, a geographical region disproportionately impacted by HIV.

"I don't want to look sick skinny": Perceptions of Body Image and Weight Loss in Hispanics Living with HIV in South Texas.

Objective: Obesity is rising in people with HIV (PLWH) and Hispanics. Both HIV and obesity are associated with cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Our goal is to understand perceptions of body image and lifestyle in Hispanics with HIV to adapt interventions appropriately.

Prescription Opioid Use is Associated with Virologic Failure in People Living with HIV.

Prescription opioid misuse is a rising epidemic in the U.S., and people living with HIV are at increased risk.

Missed Initial Medical Visits: Predictors, Timing, and Implications for Retention in HIV Care.

HIV disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minorities and individuals living in the southern United States, and missed clinic visits account for much of this disparity. We sought to evaluate: (1) predictors of missed initial HIV medical visits, (2) time to initial visit, and (3) the association between initial visit attendance and retention in HIV care. Chart reviews were conducted for 200 consecutive HIV-infected patients (100 in Dallas, 100 in San Antonio) completing case management (CM) intake.

High risk of obesity and weight gain for HIV-infected uninsured minorities.

Background: Obesity and HIV disproportionately affect minorities and have significant health risks, but few studies have examined disparities in weight change in HIV-seropositive (HIV+) cohorts.

Objective: To determine racial and health insurance disparities in significant weight gain in a predominately Hispanic HIV+ cohort.

Methods: Our observational cohort study of 1214 nonunderweight HIV+ adults from 2007 to 2010 had significant weight gain [≥3% annual body mass index (BMI) increase] as the primary outcome.

Risk factors influencing antibody responses to Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus latent and lytic antigens in patients under antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) seropositivity and lytic antibody titer are predictors for Kaposi's sarcoma.

Methods: We examined demographic, viral, and immunologic factors that influence KSHV latent and lytic antibodies in HIV-infected patients.

Results: Detection rate of KSHV latent but not lytic antibodies was lower in patients with CD4 cells/mm3 less than 200 than greater than 200 (odds ratio [OR], 0.