European consensus on HIV and COVID-19: UK (BHIVA), European (EACS), Spanish, German and Polish HIV organisations

1 June 2020. Related: COVID-19: guidelines, COVID-19.

Simon Collins, HIV i-Base

The latest monthly joint statement from BHIVA and EACS on COVID-19 has also become a collaboration with the German (DAIG, Deutsche AIDS Gesellschaft), Spanish (GeSIDA Grupo de Estudio de SIDA) and Polish AIDS Societies. [1]

This statement reviews new studies on risk to people living with HIV, maintaining the same conclusion that being on effective ART is similar to the general population. It still notes however, the high percentage of HIV positive people who have risk factors (including age, gender, cormorbidities and smoking) for more serious outcomes from COVID-19. [2, 3]

Information on the potential treatments for COVID-19 has been updated to include recently published studies reporting the potential risks from hydroxychloroquine and the potential benefits from remdesivir. [4, 5, 6]

It also includes a new reference to an article in Science reports potential benefits of famotidine. [7]

Most of the new research is also reviewed in articles in this issue of HIV and COVID-19.

References

1. BHIVA, DAIG, EACS, GESIDA & Polish Scientific AIDS Society Statement on risk of COVID-19 for people living with HIV (PLWH). (25 May 2020).
   https://www.bhiva.org/BHIVA-DAIG-EACS-GESIDA-Polish-Scientific-AIDS-Society-statement-on-risk-of-COVID-19-for-PLWH
2. Härter G et al. COVID-19 in people living with human immunodeficiency virus: a case series of 33 patients. Infection. Infections. DOI: 10.1007/s15010-020-01438-z. (11 May 2020).
   https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs15010-020-01438-z
   
3. Gervasoni C et al. Clinical features and outcomes of HIV patients with coronavirus disease 2019. Clin Infect Dis. pii: ciaa579. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa579. (14 May 2020).
   https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa579/5837155
4. Geleris J et al. Observational Study of Hydroxychloroquine in Hospitalized Patients With Covid-19. N Engl J Med 2020 May 7;NEJMoa2012410. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2012410. 
5. Mehra MR et al. Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine with or without a macrolide for treatment of COVID-19: a multinational registry analysis. Lancet 2020, Published online May 22, 2020.
   https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31180-6
6. Beigel JH for the ACTT-1 study group members. Remdesivir for the treatment of covid-19 – preliminary report. N Engl J Med 2020. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2007764. (22 May 2020).
   https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2007764
7. New York clinical trial quietly tests heartburn remedy against coronavirus. Science. (26 April 2020).
   https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/new-york-clinical-trial-quietly-tests-heartburn-remedy-against-coronavirus#