Relationship between inflammatory markers, endothelial activation markers, and carotid intima-media thickness in HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, which may be related to chronic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction despite virological control with antiretroviral therapy. The relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a surrogate marker for cardiovascular disease, proinflammatory cytokines, and endothelial activation markers has not been fully explored in HIV-infected patients who are receiving antiretroviral therapy. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study of treated HIV-infected patients and healthy control subjects to evaluate the relationship between carotid IMT, proinflammatory cytokines, endothelial activation biomarkers, and metabolic parameters in treated HIV-infected patients, compared with healthy control subjects. RESULTS: We enrolled 73 HIV-infected patients and 21 control subjects. Common carotid artery and internal carotid artery IMT measurements, as well as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, myeloperoxidase, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 levels were higher in the HIV-infected group. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein was the only biomarker that was positively correlated with carotid IMT in both groups. In the HIV-infected group, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 was positively correlated with all inflammatory cytokine levels. In multiple regression analysis, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, myeloperoxidase, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were all associated with internal carotid artery IMT in the HIV-infected group, whereas age was associated with both common carotid artery and internal carotid artery IMT. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced endothelial activation, inflammation, and increased carotid IMT occur in HIV-infected patients despite antiretroviral therapy. Inflammatory markers are associated with endothelial activation, and both are associated with internal carotid artery IMT, supporting a potential role of inflammation in endothelial activation and cardiovascular disease in HIV infection.

Increased carotid intima media thickness and cardiac biomarkers in HIV infected children.

OBJECTIVES: To assess carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and cardiac biomarkers in HIV infected children on antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: This was a single site, cross sectional, controlled observational study. We assessed carotid IMT, homocysteine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and myeloperoxidase levels in HIV infected children on stable ART for >or= 6 months. Carotid IMT was reported as internal carotid artery (ICA) and common carotid artery (CCA) thickness; left and right sides were measured separately. Groups were compared using appropriate two-sample tests. RESULTS: Of the 62 subjects enrolled, 31 were HIV positive (50%), 66% were female, and 69% were African-American. Median CD4% was 32% and 26 patients (84%) had HIV-1 RNA< 400 copies/ml. Sixteen patients had been taking protease inhibitors for a median duration of 27 months. None had hypertension or smoked. HIV infected children had higher HOMA-IR, waist-to-hip ratio, cholesterol, triglycerides, myeloperoxidase and lower homocysteine levels. Left and right CCA IMT, and left and right ICA IMT were significantly higher in the HIV infected group. Significant predictors of carotid IMT measurements in uninfected controls were body mass index and homocysteine, but only the duration of ARV therapy was predictive of IMT in the HIV infected group. CONCLUSION: Higher levels of carotid IMT and some cardiac markers were found in ART treated HIV infected children when compared to matched uninfected controls. These results suggest that HIV infected children receiving ART may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.