Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Low Bone Mineral Density Assessed by Quantitative Computed Tomography in People Living With HIV and Uninfected Controls

BACKGROUND: Low bone mineral density (BMD) has been described in people living with HIV (PLWH). We examined the prevalence of low BMD measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT), a method that allows 3-dimensional volumetric density measures at the thoracic spine, in well-treated PLWH and uninfected controls and assessed risk factors for reduced BMD. METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 718 PLWH from the Copenhagen Co-Morbidity in HIV infection (COCOMO) study and 718 uninfected controls matched on age and sex from the Copenhagen General Population Study (CGPS). Trabecular BMD was determined by QCT. RESULTS: Median BMD was 144.2 mg/cm in PLWH vs. 146.6 mg/cm in controls (P = 0.580). HIV status was not associated with BMD in univariable or multivariable linear analyses. However, a higher prevalence of very low BMD (T-score