title: Carotid intima-media thickness and arterial stiffness in HIV-infected patients: the role of HIV, antiretroviral therapy, and lipodystrophy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  HIV-infected patients using combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) have an increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to identify the effects of HIV, ART, and lipodystrophy (LD) on carotid artery intima-media thickness (C-IMT), a surrogate measure of atherosclerosis, and arterial stiffness, a marker of cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study of 77 HIV-infected men (55 exposed to ART, 22 ART naive, and 23 with LD) and 52 controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  C-IMT was measured ultrasonically, and arterial stiffness was estimated by distensibility (DC) and compliance (CC) coefficients of the carotid, femoral, and brachial arteries, by the carotid Young elastic modulus and pulse wave velocity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, HIV-infected patients had a 0.067 mm (10.8%) greater C-IMT than controls, 13.6% and 29.5% lower DC, and 14.1% and 31% lower CC of the carotid and femoral arteries, respectively, but similar Young elastic modulus and pulse wave velocity. Patients exposed to ART had similar C-IMT compared with ART-naive patients but 25.9% lower DC and 21.7% lower CC of the femoral artery. Arterial properties did not differ between patients with and without LD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV infection is independently associated with C-IMT and generally increased arterial stiffness. ART use is associated with increased stiffness of the femoral artery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.van.vonderen@znb.nl
authors.forename: Marit G A
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: van Vonderen
authors.forename: Yvo M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Smulders
authors.forename: Coen D A
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Stehouwer
authors.forename: Sven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Danner
authors.forename: Chad M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gundy
authors.forename: Frieda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reiss
authors.forename: Michiel A van
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Agtmael
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D039682:HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents