7 Nov 2025
7th of November 2025
Brussels, 7th of November, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEAT ID Publication in HIV Medicine: New Study Highlights Key Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19 in People Living with HIV
HIV CoCo “Morbidity and risk factors of COVID-19 in people with HIV-1 in Europe: A combined observational cohort and nested case–control study”
A new multi-center study published in HIV Medicine provides crucial insights into how COVID-19 affects people living with HIV (PLWH), underscoring the importance of well-controlled HIV infection in reducing severe outcomes from the virus.
The retrospective observational study - one of the most comprehensive to date - compared 500 PLWH diagnosed with COVID-19 to over 1,100 HIV-uninfected COVID-19 patients, as well as nearly 1,000 PLWH without COVID-19. Researchers examined comorbidities, HIV-specific variables, antiretroviral use, and treatment outcomes.
Key Findings:
• Higher Comorbidity Burden: PLWH with COVID-19 were significantly more likely than their HIV-negative counterparts to have chronic kidney disease (4.1x), peripheral vascular disease (2.9x), dementia (2.6x), prior pneumonia (2.4x), and liver disease (1.6x).
• Identified Risk Factors: In PLWH, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obesity (BMI ≥30), detectable viral load (≥50 copies/mL), and CDC stage B disease were all associated with higher risk of COVID-19 infection.
• Comparable Critical Outcomes, Longer Hospital Stay: Although the rates of critical care admission and mortality were similar between PLWH and HIV-negative patients, PLWH had longer hospital stays (11 vs. 9 days) and spent significantly more time in intensive care units (18 vs. 7 days).
• Charlson Comorbidity Index: PLWH with COVID-19 had a higher age-adjusted comorbidity index, correlating with poorer outcomes.
Implications for Public Health:
• The findings reinforce the importance of maintaining viral suppression and managing comorbidities in people living with HIV, particularly during concurrent public health crises like COVID-19.
Professor Georg Behrens, Chief Investigator of HIV CoCo, stated “The HIV CoCo study is a great team effort successfully conducted within the NEAT ID network. This large European multi-center study highlights again the importance of a well-controlled HIV infection to prevent severe COVID-19-related outcomes and identifies additional evidence-based risk factors. I am particularly thankful to all participating sites for their commitment to accomplish two studies in one run."
Contributing sites: Saint Pierre (Belgium), Brownlee Centre (UK), Hôpital Saint-Louis (France), Erasmus Medical Centre (Netherlands), King's College Hospital (UK), Royal Free (UK), Ramón y Cajal (Spain), Hospital Universitario La Paz (Spain), Hospital San Pedro (Spain), Hôpital Européen Marseille (France), Royal London Hospital – Bart's (UK), Hospital Puerta del Hierro (Spain), Guy's Hospital (UK), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Spain), Chelsea & Westminster Hospital (Spain), Hospital 12 de Octubre (Spain), Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge (Spain), Hospital Clinic Barcelona (Spain), Southmead Hospital – North Bristol (UK), Hospital Elche (Spain), Royal Derby Hospital (UK)
This study is sponsored by NEAT ID and funded by NEAT ID and Gilead.
With thanks to Cegedim.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. NEAT ID's mission is to support and develop Clinical Research on Infectious Diseases and spread expertise, resources and funds. NEAT ID provides training and mobility of scientists at all levels and foster lasting research collaborations Internationally.
Please visit our website for more details: https://www.NEAT-ID.org
2. Professor Georg Behrens is Professor for T Cell Immunology in the Department for Rheumatology and Immunology at Hannover Medical School, Hannover Germany. His work was published in journals including Nat Med, Nat Immunol, Lancet, Lancet ID, J Clin Invest, Clin Infect Dis, AIDS, and others. Georg Behrens was Chair of the EACS Treatment Guidelines, and he was president of the German AIDS Society for many years. He is principal investigator of national and international studies in HIV medicine and NEAT ID Executive Member.
Media contact: Polly.Parks@NEAT-ID.org +44 07850 695261