Hormonal Contraception and Higher Risk of Non-AIDS-Defining Events in Nashville Cohort

Studies evaluating the effect of hormonal contraceptives (HC) on HIV disease progression have shown conflicting results. Previous findings have been from resource limited settings (RLS) and have not looked at the effect of HC on non-AIDS defining events (non-ADE).

Mainly observational data from Africa and Asia has shown both higher and lower rates of HIV disease progression in women receiving HC. Observational data in HIV negative women has shown an association between HC and metabolic complications.

Vlada Melekhin presented findings from a retrospective cohort study of HIV-positive women attending the Comprehensive Care Center (Nashville, TN) between 1998-2008. The study investigated the association between HC (oral and injectable methods used >28 days) and AIDS-defining events (ADE), non-ADE (ie cardiovascular, renal, liver, and metabolic diseases and non-AIDS associated malignancies) and death.