Persistent IL-6 Elevation Common in Treated HIV, Study Finds

An analysis of a subset of participants from the START trial with up to seven years of biomarker follow-up examined longitudinal IL-6 patterns in people with HIV on antiretroviral therapy. The study reported that 41% of 2,102 individuals had persistent hyperinflammation and 27% had transient IL-6 blips; persistent hyperinflammation was associated with higher BMI, older age, smoking, diabetes, and HIV-1 RNA levels, while blips were associated with higher white blood cell counts. The authors state that longitudinal IL-6 measurements could help distinguish these profiles and identify a high-risk phenotype for potential clinical intervention.

Most relevant for: People with HIV on antiretroviral therapy, particularly those with obesity, older age, smoking history, or diabetes who may be at risk for persistent IL-6-related inflammation.

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