CROI 2021: Metabolic and Other Complications of HIV Infection or COVID-19

Comorbid conditions have a major impact on the health, quality of life, and survival in people with HIV, particularly as they age. The 2021 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections featured excellent science related to specific comorbidities as well as multimorbidity. A number of presentations related to comorbidities in women with HIV reflected a new wave of research aimed at understanding how the epidemiology and pathogenesis of comorbidities may differ by sex. Weight gain related to antiretroviral therapy was also a major theme of the comorbidity abstracts presented at the meeting. Several presentations demonstrated the importance of comorbid conditions in COVID-19 outcomes in people with HIV and described persistent symptoms after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection has resolved, a nascent topic that will expand over time. This review focuses on research presented at the conference in these areas, highlighting those with the most clinical impact.