Associations between integrase strand-transfer inhibitors and cardiovascular disease in people living with HIV: a multicentre prospective study from the RESPOND cohort consortium

Background Although associations between older antiretroviral drug classes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people living with HIV (PLWH) are well described, data regarding a possible association with integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are limited.Our aim was to investigate if exposure to INSTIs was associated with an increased incidence of CVD. MethodsRESPOND is a prospectively multicentered collaboration between 17 pre-existing European and Australian cohorts, that follows > 32 000 adult PLWH in clinical care after Jan 1, 2012.Included participants were required to have CD4 cell counts and HIV viral load measured in the 12 months before or within 3 months after baseline.(latest of cohort enrollment or Jan 1, 2012 ); these were subsequently followed to the earliest of the first CVD event (myocardial infarction, stroke, or invasive cardiovascular procedure), last follow-up, or Dec 31, 2019.Multivariable negative binomial regression was used to assess associations between CVD and INSTIexposure.