Effect of cumulating exposure to abacavir on the risk of cardiovascular disease events in patients from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
Young et al. assessed the effect of abacavir on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in the SHCS. They found that in the new marginal structural Cox model continued exposure to abacavir during the past 4 years increased the risk of a CVD event (hazard ratio = 2.06). Exposure during the past 6-36 months caused the greatest increase in risk. Both, current exposure and exposure more than 3 years ago, showed little additional increase in risk.
In conclusion, abacavir can increase the risk for a CVD event. However, the study results suggest that a rapidly acting mechanism such as acute inflammation is unlikely for the increased risk observed.