title: Cystatin C, adipokines and cardiovascular risk in HIV infected patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To value the role of leptin, adiponectin and cystatin C in HIV infected patients treated with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) subdivided for cardiovascular risk (CVR).
  
  
  METHODS
  56 HIV+ cART treated patients were screened by Framingham score and subdivided in 2 groups: A) 15 with "high" CVR (>10%) and B) 41 with "low" CVR (<10%). Viro-immunological parameters, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, microalbuminuria, fasting glucose, insulinemia, HOMA-IR, CRP, cystatin C, IL-18, IL-6, leptin, adiponectin, antropometric parameters and total abdominal tissue (TAT), subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral abdominal tissue (VAT) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group A showed statistically higher levels of parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism, cystatin-C, microalbuminuria, blood pressure and BMI. Moreover levels of IL-6, IL-18 and leptin were statistically higher in group A, whereas adiponectin was statistically increased in group B. Data showed a positive correlation between VAT, leptin levels (r=0.37, p=0.005) and IL-18 (r=0.32, p=0.01), and a negative correlation between VAT and adiponectin (r=-0.30, p=0.02). Finally group A showed statistically higher levels of cystatin C and there was a positive correlation between CVR and cystatin C (r=0.39, p=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main results of this study are that HIV positive subjects cART treated with "high" CVR have increased plasma levels of leptin, IL-6, IL-18 and cystatin C and hypoadiponectinemia. Moreover, the positive correlation between CVR and cystatin C found in this study for the first time in HIV positive patients, indicates that cystatin C could serve as early marker of enhanced CVR in the HIV-infected population.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Aging, G. d'Annunzio University, School of Medicine, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Falasca
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ucciferri
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mancino
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Iorio
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vignale
authors.forename: Eligio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pizzigallo
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vecchiet
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D055316:Cystatin C / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; C525030:CST3 protein, human; D055316:Cystatin C