Association of Cytomegalovirus Immunoglobulin G Antibodies with Prevalent and De Novo Hypertension in People With HIV

Objective: People with HIV (PWH) have high burden of cardiovascular diseases, with cytomegalovirus (CMV) suggested to contribute to the CVD pathogenesis. However, research on CMV and hypertension in PWH is limited. We investigated whether CMV IgG seropositivity and concentrations are associated with prevalent and de novo hypertension in PWH. Design: Longitudinal study of PWH from the Copenhagen Comorbidity in HIV Infection (COCOMO) study. Methods: Participants with available CMV IgG concentrations, blood pressure, and data on use of antihypertensives were included. Associations between CMV IgG seropositivity and high CMV IgG concentrations (>180 U/mL) with prevalent and de novo hypertension at two-year follow-up were analysed using logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, ethnic origin, body mass index, smoking, and CD4+ T-cell nadir. Results: We included 1,036 PWH, 95% were CMV IgG seropositive, and 41% had prevalent hypertension. Median CMV IgG concentration was higher among those with hypertension (159 U/mL, IQR 124–501) than those without (147 U/mL, IQR 114–455) (p = 0.001). The incidence rate of de novo hypertension was 8.3 cases per 100 person-years. CMV IgG seropositivity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.61 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.32–1.16], p = 0.13) and high CMV IgG concentrations (aOR 1.09 [95% CI: 0.80–1.50], p = 0.58) were not associated with prevalent hypertension. Likewise, no associations were observed between CMV IgG seropositivity (aOR 1.75 [95% CI: 0.61–7.40], p = 0.36) or high CMV IgG concentrations (aOR 1.20 [95% CI: 0.74–1.93], p = 0.46) and de novo hypertension. Conclusions: We found no association between CMV IgG serostatus or concentrations and prevalent or de novo hypertension in PWH.