Decreased physical activity and prolonged sitting time are associated with liver steatosis in people with HIV. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficinency Syndromes
Riebensahm et al. explored the relationship between physical activity and liver steatosis in people with HIV (PWH) at a single site within the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS).
This investigation included 466 participants screened for liver steatosis using vibration-controlled transient elastography from November 2019 to March 2023 at the University Hospital of Bern. Liver steatosis was defined as a controlled attenuation parameter of ≥248 dB/m. Physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The researchers employed multivariable logistic regression models to examine the link between physical activity and liver steatosis.
The study group had a median age of 52 years, with 27.3% being female, and 52.4% classified as overweight. Liver steatosis was detected in 50.4% of participants. The multivariable analysis revealed that physical activity levels below the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) recommendations (≥200 minutes of moderate or ≥75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, with an adjusted odds ratio [aOR] of 2.34 and a 95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.44 to 3.85) and increased sitting time (aOR of 1.16, 98% CI of 1.07 to 1.26 for each additional hour of sitting) were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of liver steatosis. These associations remained significant irrespective of body mass index (BMI).
In summary, the findings indicate that insufficient physical activity and extended periods of sitting are linked to an increased risk of liver steatosis in PWH, independent of BMI. This underscores the critical need for promoting regular physical activity to prevent liver steatosis in this population.