Potential cardiovascular disease risk markers among HIV-infected women initiating antiretroviral treatment

Treatment-related changes in serum lipids and inflammation: clinical relevance remains unclear. Analyses from the Women's Interagency HIV study

Among 127 HIV-infected women, the magnitude of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) increases after HAART initiation predicted the magnitude of concurrent decreases in inflammation biomarkers. After HAART initiation, changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) and inflammation were unrelated. In the same population, predicted risk of coronary heart disease, based upon levels of standard clinical risk factors, was similar before and after HAART. Thus, it remains unknown whether short-term treatment-related changes in standard risk factors may appreciably change risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Immune activation in HIV-infected aging women on antiretrovirals--implications for age-associated comorbidities: a cross-sectional pilot study

Background

Persistent immune activation and microbial translocation associated with HIV infection likely place HIV-infected aging women at high risk of developing chronic age-related diseases. We investigated immune activation and microbial translocation in HIV-infected aging women in the post-menopausal ages.

Methods

Twenty-seven post-menopausal women with HIV infection receiving antiretroviral treatment with documented viral suppression and 15 HIV-negative age-matched controls were enrolled. Levels of immune activation markers (T cell immune phenotype, sCD25, sCD14, sCD163), microbial translocation (LPS) and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and impaired cognitive function (sVCAM-1, sICAM-1 and CXCL10) were evaluated.

Results

T cell activation and exhaustion, monocyte/macrophage activation, and microbial translocation were significantly higher in HIV-infected women when compared to uninfected controls. Microbial translocation correlated with T cell and monocyte/macrophage activation. Biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and impaired cognition were elevated in women with HIV infection and correlated with immune activation.

Conclusions

HIV-infected antiretroviral-treated aging women who achieved viral suppression are in a generalized status of immune activation and therefore are at an increased risk of age-associated end-organ diseases compared to uninfected age-matched controls.

Association of subclinical atherosclerosis with lipid levels amongst antiretroviral-treated and untreated HIV-infected women in the Women's Interagency HIV study

OBJECTIVE

We examined serum lipids in association with carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women.

METHODS

In 2003-4, among 1827 Women's Interagency HIV Study participants, we measured CIMT and lipids (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), total cholesterol (TC), non-HDL-c). A subset of 520 treated HIV-infected women had pre-1997 lipid measures. We used multivariable linear regression to examine associations between lipids and CIMT.

RESULTS

In HIV-uninfected women, higher TC, LDL-c and non-HDL-c were associated with increased CIMT. Among HIV-infected women, associations of lipids with CIMT were observed in treated but not untreated women. Among the HIV-infected women treated in 2003-4, CIMT was associated both with lipids measured a decade earlier in infection, and with late lipid measurements.

CONCLUSION

Among HIV-infected women, hyperlipidemia is most strongly associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in treated women. Among treated women, the association appeared strongest early in the disease course.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor as adjunct treatment for persons with HIV infection: a feasibility randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Treatments that reduce inflammation and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among individuals with HIV infection receiving effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) are needed.

DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a 2 × 2 factorial feasibility study of lisinopril (L) (10 mg daily) vs L-placebo in combination with pravastatin (P) (20 mg daily) vs P-placebo among participants receiving ART with undetectable HIV RNA levels, a Framingham 10 year risk score (FRS) ≥ 3%, and no indication for ACE-I or statin therapy. Tolerability and adherence were evaluated. Longitudinal mixed models assessed changes in blood pressure (BP), blood lipids, and inflammatory biomarkers from baseline through months 1 and 4.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven participants were randomized and 34 [lisinopril/pravastatin (n=9), lisinopril/P-placebo (n=8), L-placebo/pravastatin (n=9), L-placebo/P-placebo (n=8)] attended at least one follow-up visit. Participants were 97% male, 41% white, 67% were current smokers, and 65% were taking a protease inhibitor. Median age was 48 years, CD4 count 483 cells/mm(3), FRS 7.79%, total cholesterol 184 mg/dL, and LDL-C 95 mg/dL. There was no treatment difference for pravastatin vs P-placebo in total cholesterol, LDL-C, or any of the inflammatory biomarkers. Participants randomized to lisinopril vs. L-placebo had significant declines in diastolic BP (-3.3 mmHg, p=0.05), hsCRP (-0.61 µg/mL, p=0.02) and TNF-α (-0.17 pg/mL, p=0.04). Participants taking lisinopril vs L-placebo were more likely to report missed doses (88 vs 35%; p=0.001) and have adherence <90% by pill count (42 vs. 0%; p=0.02). Few participants from either group reported side effects (n=3 vs. n=1).

CONCLUSIONS

The modest BP changes and decreased adherence with lisinopril and absence of lipid differences with pravastatin suggest future studies of these drug classes should consider a run-in period to assess adherence and use a different statin. Our results also indicate that ACE-I therapy may have anti-inflammatory benefits for ART-treated persons with HIV infection and this should be further evaluated.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00982189.