Description of COVID-19 in HIV-infected individuals: a single-centre, prospective cohort
The authors of this Spanish observational prospective study (n=51) note that the presentation of COVID-19 in HIV-infected individuals was similar to that described in the general population, and suggest they should receive the same treatment approach.
Source:
The Lancet HIV
SPS commentary:
A related comment notes the rate of PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was slightly higher in the cohort of HIV-1-infected individuals than in the general Madrid population (1.2% v 0.92%), with no association between nadir and recent CD4 count or CD4/CD8 ratio and disease severity. However it is difficult to draw any conclusions due to the small sample size. In addition all the patients with HIV in this study were already on antiretroviral therapy and viral replication was well controlled, so the findings may not be generalisable. The effect of HIV-1 coinfection on the clinical course of COVID-19 has yet to be fully understood, and further, larger cohort studies on coinfection with HIV and SARS-CoV-2 are needed.