BACKGROUND: There is currently no evidence suggesting that COVID-19 takes a different course in HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral treatment compared to the general population. However, little is known about the relation between specific HIV-related factors and the severity of the COVID-19 disease. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of cases collected through an on-line survey distributed by the Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe Network Group. In statistical analyses characteristics of HIV-positive patients, asymptomatic/moderate and moderate/severe course were compared. RESULTS: In total 34 HIV-positive patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were reported by 12 countries (Estonia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Albania, Belarus, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria). Asymptomatic courses of COVID-19 were reported in four (12%) cases, 11 (32%) patients presented with mild disease not requiring hospitalization, moderate disease with respiratory and/or systemic symptoms was observed in 14 (41%) cases, and severe disease with respiratory failure was found in five (15%) patients. The HIV-related characteristics of patients with an asymptomatic/mild course of COVID-19 were comparable to those with a moderate/severe course of COVID-19, except for the use of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) in cART regimen (0.0% vs. 31.6% respectively, p = 0.0239). CONCLUSIONS: In our analyses HIV viral suppression and immunological status were not associated with the course of COVID-19 disease. On the contrary the cART regimen could contribute to severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Large and prospective studies are necessary to further investigate this relationship.

Belarusian State Medical University Minsk Belarus

Clinic for Infectious Diseases University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska Banja Luka The Republic of Srpska Bosnia and Herzegovina; Department for Infectious Diseases Faculty of Medicine University of Banja Luka Banja Luka The Republic of Srpska Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department for AIDS Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment of Infectious and Parasitic Disease Sofia Bulgaria

Department of Adults' Infectious Diseases Hospital for Infectious Diseases Medical University of Warsaw Poland

Department of Infectious Diseases 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and Na Bulovce Hospital Czech Republic

Department of Infectious Diseases 3rd Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and Na BuLovce Hospital Czech Republic

Department of Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology Institute of Clinical Medicine Faculty of Medicine Vilnius University Lithuania

Department of Pharmacology Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology School of Medicine University of Belgrade Serbia

National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases South Pest Central Hospital National Center of HIV Hungary

University Hospital Center of Tirana Infectious Disease Service Albania

University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova Romania

West Tallinn Central Hospital Estonia

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