Pathophysiological Consequences of At-Risk Alcohol Use; Implications for Comorbidity Risk in Persons Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Pain and unhealthy alcohol use among people living with HIV: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Unhealthy alcohol use is prevalent among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) and contributes to impaired functioning, diminished quality of life, and poorer HIV outcomes. Common cooccurring conditions such as chronic pain may be associated with negative outcomes both directly and through its influence on unhealthy drinking itself. However, there is relatively little known about how pain influences unhealthy drinking among PLWH over time. The current study examined whether pain was associated with indices of unhealthy alcohol use, namely heavy drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD) assessed 12 months later.

METHODS

The study sample (n = 207) was from the Boston Alcohol Research Collaboration on HIV/AIDS (ARCH) Cohort, a prospective cohort of PLWH with a history of illicit substance or unhealthy alcohol use. We conducted logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between pain and both heavy drinking and AUD status (DSM-5 criteria) (yes/no) over time. In secondary analyses, we examined whether pain was associated with greater AUD severity and whether pain interference was associated with heavy drinking and AUD outcomes.

RESULTS

We found that pain at baseline was associated with greater odds of AUD [aOR = 2.29 (95% CI: 1.13, 4.64), p = 0.02] but not heavy drinking [aOR = 0.91 (95% CI: 0.44, 1.88), p = 0.79] at 12 months. Pain was also associated with more severe AUD. Analyses of pain interference showed similar results.

CONCLUSIONS

Pain is prospectively associated with higher odds of AUD among PLWH with a substance/unhealthy alcohol use history. Providers should routinely address pain among PLWH to improve AUD outcomes.

Moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment is associated with both recent and chronic alcohol misuse in people with HIV: The New Orleans alcohol use in HIV (NOAH) study

BACKGROUND

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) profoundly impacts the nervous system, leading to neurological deficits including HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). HAND represents the most common neurological comorbidity among people with HIV (PWH), and alcohol use may exacerbate cognitive deficits, especially in vulnerable populations. This study investigated relationships between alcohol use and cognition in an underserved cohort of PWH, on the hypothesis that alcohol misuse exacerbates cognitive deficits.

METHODS

Data collected from participants (n = 259; 66.7% male; mean age 52 ± 10 years) enrolled in the New Orleans Alcohol Use in HIV (NOAH) study were utilized for cross-sectional analysis. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and alcohol use was comprehensively measured using four metrics: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), 30-day timeline follow back (TLFB), lifetime drinking history, and phosphatidylethanol (PEth) levels.

RESULTS

The average MoCA score among participants was 20.7 ± 4.5, with 86.5% demonstrating cognitive impairment (MoCA < 26). Individuals with MoCA scores below 18 (moderately or severely cognitively impaired) had a higher frequency of recent severe alcohol misuse and greater lifetime alcohol consumption. Participants at increased risk for AUD (AUDIT ≥ 16) also had worse global cognition and memory task performance than those with lower AUDIT scores; this was particularly true among those aged 50 and older. Analysis of the MoCA sub-score data indicated that participants with increased AUD risk had impairments in the cognitive domains of language and memory.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate a high prevalence of cognitive impairment in the NOAH cohort and suggest that alcohol misuse contributes to global cognitive deficits in PWH, especially among individuals aged 50 and older. Further exploration of the impact of alcohol use on specific cognitive domains, including memory and language, should incorporate additional cognitive tasks. These findings highlight the importance of considering alcohol use and AUD risk as significant factors that may exacerbate cognitive deficits in vulnerable populations, including older PWH.

Cellular Bioenergetics: Experimental Evidence for Alcohol-induced Adaptations

At-risk alcohol use is associated with multisystemic effects and end-organ injury, and significantly contributes to global health burden. Several alcohol-mediated mechanisms have been identified, with bioenergetic maladaptation gaining credence as an underlying pathophysiological mechanism contributing to cellular injury. This evidence-based review focuses on the current knowledge of alcohol-induced bioenergetic adaptations in metabolically active tissues: liver, cardiac and skeletal muscle, pancreas, and brain. Alcohol metabolism itself significantly interferes with bioenergetic pathways in tissues, particularly the liver. Alcohol decreases states of respiration in the electron transport chain, and activity and expression of respiratory complexes, with a net effect to decrease ATP content. In addition, alcohol dysregulates major metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and fatty acid oxidation. These bioenergetic alterations are influenced by alcohol-mediated changes in mitochondrial morphology, biogenesis, and dynamics. The review highlights similarities and differences in bioenergetic adaptations according to tissue type, pattern of (acute vs. chronic) alcohol use, and energy substrate availability. The compromised bioenergetics synergizes with other critical pathophysiological mechanisms, including increased oxidative stress and accelerates cellular dysfunction, promoting senescence, programmed cell death, and end-organ injury.