Men Living with HIV More Sensitive to Alcohol’s Effects

The impact of HIV on a person’s metabolism of alcohol remains uncertain. Investigators compared the number of standard alcoholic drinks required to “feel a buzz or high” among people living with HIV (PLWH, n=1478) and without HIV (n=1170). Participants were male US veterans; PLWH were stratified by HIV viral load (HVL). Overall, 63% of study participants were African American and among PLWH, 59% had a suppressed HVL (<500 copies/mL).

• Compared with participants without HIV, PLWH were younger and less obese,* with higher rates of HCV, less alcohol use, and worse health.**
• When asked as part of a self-completed survey, “How many drinks of alcohol does it take for you to begin to feel a ‘buzz’ or high?”…
  • The overall mean number of drinks reported was 3.
  • Adjusting for BMI, PLWH with a detectable HVL reported a lower mean number of drinks to feel a buzz, compared with people without HIV.
  • To feel a buzz, PLWH with a detectable HVL required >¼ of a drink less compared with participants without HIV.

Comments:

This study demonstrates an increased sensitivity to alcohol’s effects among male PLWH with a detectable HVL. Though limited by its exclusion of female participants, these findings suggest that HVL should be considered when discussing thresholds for healthy drinking limits with PLWH. Doing so may serve to minimize the adverse impact of alcohol use on HIV disease and transmission.

Seonaid Nolan, MD

Reference:

McGinnis KA, Fiellin DA, Tate JP, et al. Number of drinks to “feel a buzz” by HIV status and viral load in men. AIDS Behav. 2016;20(3):504–511.