A Review of Chronic Comorbidities in People Living With HIV in Peru

Nolasco M.; Hsieh E.; Garcia P.J.; Diaz M.M. · Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (2026) · DOI: 10.1177/23259582261470497

Resumen

BackgroundAdvances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have extended the life expectancy of people living with HIV (PWH) in Peru, shifting the healthcare focus toward managing chronic non-communicable comorbidities (NCDs). Yet data on NCD burden among aging PWH in Peru are sparse.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed studies from PubMed and LILACS, in English or Spanish, that assessed non-AIDS comorbidities in Peruvian adults with HIV.ResultsWe identified 23 studies, all from Lima, mostly cross-sectional or retrospective, involving predominantly male ART patients. Commonly investigated comorbidities included neurocognitive impairment, mental health disorders (especially depression), cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome; bone disease and non-AIDS malignancies were less studied.ConclusionsFindings suggest frequent cognitive, metabolic, and cardiovascular issues among PWH. Yet critical gaps remain: little is known about frailty, disability, or long-term outcomes. Expanded screening, longitudinal studies, and integrated care models are needed to improve long-term health in aging PWH in Peru.; BackgroundDue to better HIV treatment, people with HIV in Peru are living much longer. As a result, their medical care now needs to focus more on long-term health issues, not just infections related to HIV, but other chronic diseases. However, there is little information about how common these chronic diseases are among older people with HIV in Peru.What we didWe looked for published studies (in English or Spanish) that reported on long-term health problems, not AIDS-related, in adults with HIV living in Peru.What we FoundWe found 23 studies, all from the capital city, Lima. Most studies looked at men on HIV treatment, and were based on single-timepoint or past record data. The most common health problems reported were memory and thinking problems, depression and other mental-health issues, heart disease, and conditions linked to metabolism. There was less research on bone problems or non-AIDS cancers.What This MeansPeople with HIV in Peru are often dealing with health issues beyond HIV, especially problems affecting thinking, mood, heart health, and metabolism. But we still don’t know much about other serious concerns like frailty, disability, or how these issues change over time. We need better screening, long-term studies, and health care plans that include all these needs for older people living with HIV in Peru.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia