Chronic jet lag has been detected in people living with HIV

According to the latest findings from researchers from universities in South Africa and the United Kingdom, the body clock in people living with HIV is significantly delayed, consistent with
the symptoms of jet lag.

The findings, published in the Journal of Pineal Research, may explain some of the health problems experienced by people living with HIV and guide research to improve their quality of life
.

Researchers from Northumbria and Surrey in the United Kingdom, as well as the University of the Witwatersrand and Cape Town in South Africa, studied people aged 45 and over living in the South African province of Pumalanga, where nearly a quarter of people live with HIV
.
Therefore, the infection is endemic and is not
associated with any differences in lifestyle.

They found that daily circadian rhythms, as measured by melatonin, were delayed by more than an hour on average among HIV-positive participants
.
They also had shorter sleep cycles, and the researchers noted that their sleep started later and ended earlier
.

This suggests that HIV infection may cause circadian rhythm disturbances, similar to those caused by shift work or jet lag
.

The authors suggest that this circadian clock disorder may largely contribute to the increased burden of health problems faced by people living with HIV, despite treatment success, such as an increased
risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and psychiatric disorders.

South Africa has the fourth highest HIV prevalence in the world, and researchers believe further funding is urgently needed to determine whether young people living with HIV in other countries experience similar circadian
clock disorders.

Professor Malcolm von Shantz, professor of chronobiology at Northumbria University and corresponding author of the publication, said: "People living with HIV basically experience a one-hour interruption, which is related to switching to daylight saving time, but actually every morning
.
"

"This happens
despite the fact that virtually everyone is exposed to the same light-dark cycle.
Our findings have important potential implications for the health and well-being of people living with HIV, especially given the established relationship
between circadian rhythm disturbances and sleep deprivation.
”

Dr Karine Scheuermaier, senior author of the study and University of the Witwatersrand, added: "This is very similar
to the risk profile observed in shift workers.
Understanding and mitigating this disruption could be an important step
in helping people living with HIV lead healthier lives.
”

"Our findings identify an urgent research topic," said Xavier Gómez-Olivé, also from the University of the Witwatersrand, whose research grant funded the study
.
"The next step must be to determine whether young people living with HIV living in other countries also have the same circadian
clock disorder.
"

Co-author Dale Rae from the University of Cape Town added: "This is a great example of the importance of studying sleep in Africa and demonstrates that the findings of this study can also be relevant
to people anywhere in the world.
"