Intersection of PTSD, HIV, and Cardiometabolic Health Among Middle-Aged Men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction Cardiometabolic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia disproportionately affect people living with HIV (PLWH). Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are highly prevalent among gay and bisexual men, potentially compounded due to sexual-minority stress and trauma. This study investigates the relationship between PTSD and cardiometabolic outcomes in middle-aged and older gay and bisexual men, stratified by HIV status. Methods Data from 1,180 participants in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) was analyzed. PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, and hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia were defined based on clinical criteria. Multivariate logistic regression models, adjusted for covariates, examined associations between PTSD and cardiometabolic outcomes, with stratification by HIV status. Results PTSD was significantly associated with 2.5 times higher odds of hypertension (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.16–5.33). While PTSD showed no statistical significance with diabetes or dyslipidemia, the prevalence of dyslipidemia was higher in PLWH than PLWOH, with a greater (but not statistically significant) positive relationship observed in PLWH. Hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia prevalence were elevated in the cohort, with BMI and age emerging as significant covariates. No interaction effects between PTSD and HIV status were observed. Conclusion There was a statistically significant positive risk associated with PTSD and hypertension risk, emphasizing its role in cardiovascular health among gay and bisexual men. These findings highlight the need for trauma-informed, integrated care addressing PTSD and metabolic health, particularly in PLWH. Future research should explore causal pathways and the impact of demographic and lifestyle factors on these relationships.
Source: Georgetown Medical Review
DOI: 10.52504/001c.137490
Authors: Avni Mukker, Deanna Ware, Michael W. Plankey
Institutions: Georgetown University, Georgetown University Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Emergency Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funders: Northwestern University, National Institute on Aging, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Awards: G1130671811, G3300889255, G3449904753, G5147848267, Understanding Patterns of Healthy Aging among Men Who Have Sex with Men, G5660189159, G5721902458, G5863844756, G6396423216, G7152846654, G7824296413, University of Pittsburgh MACS/WIHS CCS, Northwestern CORE Clinical Research Site: Trans-omics for HIV/AIDS Research, Los Angeles CRS for the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study, Data Analysis and Coordination Center for the MACS-WIHS Combined Cohort Study, Clinical Research Sites for the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MACS/WIHS-CCS) - Baltimore/Wash DC Center
OpenAlex ID: W4411017142