Is infection with HIV a new cause of male osteoporosis?
Dr Karen Walker-Bone - Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
Awarded £46,562 in 2009
HIV infection is a global pandemic. Since the development of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), survival from the opportunistic infections associated with HIV infection has dramatically improved. However, there is increasing evidence that chronic HIV infection (or its treatment) causes serious metabolic consequences which may result in premature ageing and other serious co-morbidities such as osteoporosis. In the UK, HIV infection occurs predominantly among vulnerable populations including immigrants from Africa, men who have sex with men, haemophiliacs, and intravenous drug users. HIV infection is increasing among male populations so that HIV may become one of the most important factors associated with male osteoporosis in the next few decades.
We seek to evaluate the prevalence of low bone mass among HIV-infected men, to explore the factors which may cause low bone mass (e.g. low body mass index, smoking, alcohol, the severity of the virus, effects of specific antiretroviral drugs and effects of changes in fat mass and lean mass associated with antiretroviral therapy) and to quantify the risk of fracture associated with low bone mass in HIV-infected men.