Year: 2023
Type: editorial
Abstract: Sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea, are more common in people with HIV (PWH) compared to the general population and have a long-term impact on not only mental but also on cardiac, respiratory, and metabolic health [1][2][3][4][5].Potential contributing factors to the increased prevalence of sleep disorders in PWH include psychosocial factors such as anxiety, depression, alcohol and substance abuse, persistent inflammation, immune dysfunction and specific antiretroviral therapy such as efavirenz and integrase inhibitors [1][2][3][4][5].Thus, the risk factors for sleep apnea in PWH may be different than the risk factors for sleep apnea in the general population.Given the complexity in the assessment of sleep disorders in PWH, data on the associations of risk factors with presence of sleep disorders in PWH remain limited and often controversial among studies [1-5].In this issue of AIDS, Mazzitelli et al. [6] present results of a large single center crosssectional study of risk factors for sleep disorders in 721 PWH on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) in an Italian setting.The authors reported a very high prevalence (77%) of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, reduced sleep quality and daily sleepiness in this population.Over 60% of participants reported low sleep quality and over 30% of patients suffered from insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea.Anxiety and depression were detected in 28% and 16% of study participants.In this population with well controlled chronic HIV infection on contemporary ART, the authors found associations between sleep disorders and the same determinants (cardiovascular risk factors and mood disorders) observed in the general population but not with HIV-related parameters and specific antiretroviral regimens.Theassociation of sleep disturbances with risk factors in HIV has previously been studied [1][2][3][4][5].Similar to what has previously been reported in PWH [1-5], Mazzitelli et al. [6] reported an overall high prevalence of self-reported poor-quality sleep and risk factors associated with sleep disorders in PWH such as age, BMI, hypertension, recreational drug use, depression and higher cardiovascular risk [1][2][3][4][5].However, compared to prior studies, the study by Mazziteli et al. [6] has important differences.First, there was a substantial difference in the demographic and clinical
Source: AIDS
Author: Theodoros Kelesidis
Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Language: English
Topic: Sleep and related disorders
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: National Institute on Aging
OpenAlex ID: W4362601509