As more people live longer with HIV, managing other health conditions is even more important. Research presented at the recent Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver covers a wide range of issues – from new obesity drugs and cardiovascular risks to transplant outcomes and the use of stimulant drugs. Here are five highlights.
GLP-1 weight loss medication appears to work for people living with HIV and may offer benefits beyond weight loss – including improvements in liver health, cardiovascular risk, gut integrity and even smoking cessation. A plenary talk by Dr. Todd Brown reviews the growing evidence, while several real-world studies confirm that semaglutide and tirzepatide produce meaningful weight loss in people with HIV. Brown concluded that the enthusiasm for this class of drug is rational – but the current price puts the drug out of reach for most of the world.
Oropharyngeal cancer – cancer of the back of the mouth and throat, often caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) – is becoming more common in people with HIV, especially heterosexual men. A large North American cohort study found that the incidence nearly tripled between 2000 and 2020. Heterosexual men with HIV had the highest rates – 50% higher than gay and bisexual men. A history of low CD4 cell count is an important risk factor, underscoring the importance of prompt HIV diagnosis and treatment.
Statins don’t just lower cholesterol — they also seem to lower blood pressure in people with HIV. A secondary analysis of the landmark REPRIEVE trial found that participants offered daily pitavastatin were significantly less likely to develop high blood pressure. That’s important because people with HIV who had hypertension during the study were twice as likely to have a heart attack, stroke or other major cardiovascular event. The findings strengthen the case for statins to reduce cardiovascular risk in people with HIV.
People with HIV who received a liver transplant had results comparable to people without HIV after up to 15 years of follow-up, according to a Spanish study. The study compared the results among 85 people with HIV and 255 matched controls who had a transplant between 2003 and 2012. Graft safety, patient survival and complication rates were similar between the groups – showing that HIV should not be an obstacle to transplantation when clinically indicated.
Stimulant drug use, particularly methamphetamine (crystal meth), can seriously undermine HIV treatment adherence – but new app-based interventions may help. The app integrates cognitive behavioral tools, medication reminders and peer support. Gay and bisexual men with HIV who had problems with stimulants and were given the app had a 58% lower chance of having a detectable viral load after six months compared to the control group, although the impact was not maintained until twelve months.
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