Contributors to diffusion impairment in HIV-infected persons.

Abnormal diffusing capacity is common in HIV-infected individuals, including never smokers. Aetiologies for diffusing capacity impairment in HIV are not understood, particularly in those without a history of cigarette smoking. Our study was a cross-sectional analysis of 158 HIV-infected individuals without acute respiratory symptoms or infection with the aim to determine associations between a diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (D(LCO)) % predicted and participant demographics, pulmonary spirometric measures (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity), radiographic emphysema (fraction of lung voxels < -950 Hounsfield units), pulmonary vascular/cardiovascular disease (echocardiographic tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide) and airway inflammation (induced sputum cell counts), stratified by history of smoking. The mean D(LCO) was 65.9% predicted, and 55 (34.8%) participants had a significantly reduced D(LCO) (<60% predicted). Lower D(LCO) % predicted in ever-smokers was associated with lower post-bronchodilator FEV1 % predicted (p<0.001) and greater radiographic emphysema (p=0.001). In never-smokers, mean±SD D(LCO) was 72.7±13.4% predicted, and D(LCO) correlated with post-bronchodilator FEV1 (p=0.02), sputum neutrophils (p=0.03) and sputum lymphocytes (p=0.009), but not radiographic emphysema. Airway obstruction, emphysema and inflammation influence D(LCO) in HIV. Never-smokers may have a unique phenotype of diffusing capacity impairment. The interaction of multiple factors may account for the pervasive nature of diffusing capacity impairment in HIV infection.