TY - JOUR
T1 - Leukocyte count and new-onset diabetes mellitus in people with HIV
T2 - A longitudinal study
AU - Meyer, Sophia C
AU - Klein, Zoe
AU - Schoepf, Isabella C
AU - Thorball, Christian W
AU - Labarile, Marco
AU - Kootstra, Neeltje A
AU - Reiss, Peter
AU - Ryom, Lene
AU - Braun, Dominique L
AU - Thurnheer, Maria C
AU - Marzolini, Catia
AU - Kahlert, Christian R
AU - Bernasconi, Enos
AU - Cavassini, Matthias
AU - Marinosci, Annalisa
AU - Fellay, Jacques
AU - Günthard, Huldrych F
AU - Kouyos, Roger D
AU - Ledergerber, Bruno
AU - Tarr, Philip E
AU - Swiss HIV Cohort Study
N1 - © 2025 The Author(s). HIV Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British HIV Association.
PY - 2025/10
Y1 - 2025/10
N2 - OBJECTIVES: The risk of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increased in people with HIV. Chronic inflammation contributes to DM risk. High leukocytes are associated with DM in the general population, but in people with HIV, evidence of a leukocyte-DM association is limited.METHODS: We included participants of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study with new-onset DM (2000-2023) and matched controls. We obtained uni- and multivariable odds ratios (ORs) for DM, based on traditional and HIV-related DM risk factors, leukocyte count and potential confounders for leukocyte count.RESULTS: Among 732 DM cases (median age 54 years, 79% male at birth, 86% with suppressed HIV RNA) and 2032 DM-free controls, the latest leukocyte count prior to DM diagnosis was higher in cases than in controls (median [interquartile range], 6200 [5115-7800] vs. 5900/μL [4800-7180]; p < 0.001), but leucocytosis (>11 000/μL) was uncommon (3.8% vs. 2.3%; p = 0.032). DM-OR in the highest vs. lowest leukocyte quintile was 1.91 (95% confidence interval, 1.45-2.52) in univariable analysis and 2.47 (1.71-3.57) in multivariable analysis. For comparison, multivariable DM-OR for dyslipidaemia, overweight, ≥12-month stavudine exposure and ≥12-month integrase inhibitor exposure were 2.23 (1.80-2.75), 2.83 (2.21-3.62), 1.54 (1.16-2.04) and 2.29 (1.13-4.62), respectively. We found no relevant confounders for the leukocyte-DM association. Leukocytes were significantly associated with DM up to 10 years before diagnosis (all p < 0.02).CONCLUSIONS: High leukocyte count is an independent DM risk factor in people with HIV in Switzerland and increases the risk of DM to a degree similar to traditional and HIV-related risk factors, up to 10 years before DM diagnosis.
AB - OBJECTIVES: The risk of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increased in people with HIV. Chronic inflammation contributes to DM risk. High leukocytes are associated with DM in the general population, but in people with HIV, evidence of a leukocyte-DM association is limited.METHODS: We included participants of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study with new-onset DM (2000-2023) and matched controls. We obtained uni- and multivariable odds ratios (ORs) for DM, based on traditional and HIV-related DM risk factors, leukocyte count and potential confounders for leukocyte count.RESULTS: Among 732 DM cases (median age 54 years, 79% male at birth, 86% with suppressed HIV RNA) and 2032 DM-free controls, the latest leukocyte count prior to DM diagnosis was higher in cases than in controls (median [interquartile range], 6200 [5115-7800] vs. 5900/μL [4800-7180]; p < 0.001), but leucocytosis (>11 000/μL) was uncommon (3.8% vs. 2.3%; p = 0.032). DM-OR in the highest vs. lowest leukocyte quintile was 1.91 (95% confidence interval, 1.45-2.52) in univariable analysis and 2.47 (1.71-3.57) in multivariable analysis. For comparison, multivariable DM-OR for dyslipidaemia, overweight, ≥12-month stavudine exposure and ≥12-month integrase inhibitor exposure were 2.23 (1.80-2.75), 2.83 (2.21-3.62), 1.54 (1.16-2.04) and 2.29 (1.13-4.62), respectively. We found no relevant confounders for the leukocyte-DM association. Leukocytes were significantly associated with DM up to 10 years before diagnosis (all p < 0.02).CONCLUSIONS: High leukocyte count is an independent DM risk factor in people with HIV in Switzerland and increases the risk of DM to a degree similar to traditional and HIV-related risk factors, up to 10 years before DM diagnosis.
KW - Adult
KW - Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology
KW - Female
KW - HIV Infections/complications
KW - Humans
KW - Leukocyte Count
KW - Longitudinal Studies
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Risk Factors
KW - Switzerland/epidemiology
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105013757967
U2 - 10.1111/hiv.70089
DO - 10.1111/hiv.70089
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 40747677
SN - 1464-2662
VL - 26
SP - 1585
EP - 1599
JO - HIV Medicine
JF - HIV Medicine
IS - 10
ER -