title: Hepatitis C infection is associated with lower lipids and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in HIV-infected men.
abstract: Increased cardiovascular risk has been linked to HIV infection and combination antiretroviral therapy, but the impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) status on indices of cardiovascular risk has not been routinely assessed in the HIV-infected population. The objective of this study was to analyze associations of HCV, HIV, and combination antiretroviral therapy with lipid levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) among older men. We measured fasting total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride, and high-sensitivity CRP serum levels in a cross-sectional study of 108 HIV-infected and 74 HIV-uninfected at-risk older men. One hundred ten men (60%) had detectable HCV RNA, with no difference by HIV status (p = 0.25). The majority (88%) of men with HCV infection had a history of injection drug use. Among all men, HCV infection was independently associated with lower total cholesterol (p < 0.001), LDL-C (p < 0.001), triglycerides (p = 0.01), and CRP (p = 0.001). Among HIV-infected men, HCV infection was associated with lower total cholesterol (p < 0.001), LDL-C (p < 0.001), and CRP (p = 0.004). HCV infection was associated with lower triglycerides among men on protease inhibitors (PI) (p = 0.02) and non-PI combination antiretroviral therapy (p = 0.02), but not among antiretroviral-naïve men. These findings demonstrate an association of lower serum lipid and CRP levels with HCV infection and suggest that HCV status should be assessed as an important correlate of cardiovascular risk factors in studies of older men with or at risk for HIV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA. mfloris@montefiore.org
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Floris-Moore
authors.forename: Andrea A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Yungtai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Ellie E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Schoenbaum
authors.forename: Julia H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Arnsten
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein