title: High plasma level of interleukin-18 in HIV-infected subjects with lipodystrophy.
abstract: The level of interleukin-18 (IL-18) is elevated in patients with HIV infection as well as in people with insulin resistance (IR). As HIV-associated lipodystrophy (LD) shares metabolic characteristics with the metabolic syndrome, it was hypothesized that IL-18 would be elevated in patients with LD. Two groups of HIV-infected men with LD, one with fat accumulation (mixed group) (n = 12) and one without fat accumulation (lipoatrophic group) (n = 15) were included. Controls were HIV-positive men without LD (n = 15) and HIV-negative, age-matched men (n = 12). The levels of plasma IL-18 were elevated in all 3 HIV groups compared with HIV-negative controls (P <0.01). In the HIV groups the lipoatrophic group had the highest IL-18, followed by the mixed group and the HIV-positive controls. Only the differences between the lipoatrophic group and the HIV-positive controls were significant (P <0.01). Plasma IL-18 correlated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (P <0.05), but not IL-6, adiponectin, or HOMA-IR (homeostasis model of insulin resistance). In contrast to the HIV-negative controls, IL-18 did not correlate with total or low-density cholesterol in either of the HIV groups. An inverse correlation was observed between IL-18 and limb fat (P <0.05). In conclusion, the level of IL-18 is elevated in patients with LD and closely linked to limb atrophy, whereas it is not associated with cholesterol or IR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. blm@rh.dk
authors.forename: Birgitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindegaard
authors.forename: Ann-Brit Eg
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerstoft
authors.forename: Bente Klarlund
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Pedersen
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D039682:HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D020382:Interleukin-18; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha