Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) outcomes in HIV/AIDS patients: a systematic review

• Published in: HIV medicine Vol. 21; no. 9; pp. 567 - 577
• Main Authors: Cooper, TJ, Woodward, BL, Alom, S, Harky, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.10.2020; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - complications; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - mortality; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - pathology; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - virology; AIDS; Coinfection; Coronaviridae; coronavirus disease 2019; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - complications; COVID-19 - mortality; COVID-19 - pathology; COVID-19 - virology; Disease control; Disease Progression; Female; Global health; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Literature reviews; Male; Medical Informatics Applications; Medical Subject Headings-MeSH; MEDLINE; Original Research; Patients; Public health; Respiratory diseases; Risk analysis; Risk Factors; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Signs and symptoms; Systematic review; Viral diseases; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus; AIDS; HIV; coronavirus disease 2019
• ISSN: 1464-2662; 1468-1293; 1468-1293
• DOI: 10.1111/hiv.12911

Objectives The aim of the study was to systematically review current studies reporting on clinical outcomes in people living with HIV (PLHIV) infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Methods We conducted a systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Global Health, SCOPUS, Medline and EMBASE using pertinent key words and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms relating to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and HIV. A narrative synthesis was undertaken. Articles are summarized in relevant sections. Results Two hundred and eighty‐five articles were identified after duplicates had been removed. After screening, eight studies were analysed, totalling 70 HIV‐infected patients (57 without AIDS and 13 with AIDS). Three themes were identified: (1) controlled HIV infection does not appear to result in poorer COVID‐19 outcomes, (2) more data are needed to determine COVID‐19 outcomes in patients with AIDS and (3) HIV‐infected patients presenting with COVID‐19 symptoms should be investigated for superinfections. Conclusions Our findings suggest that PLHIV with well‐controlled disease are not at risk of poorer COVID‐19 disease outcomes than the general population. It is not clear whether those with poorly controlled HIV disease and AIDS have poorer outcomes. Superimposed bacterial pneumonia may be a risk factor for more severe COVID‐19 but further research is urgently needed to elucidate whether PLHIV are more at risk than the general population.