title: Treatment for hepatitis C virus with pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin induces anti-atherogenic effects on cardiovascular risk biomarkers in HIV-infected and -uninfected patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy with pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin on cardiovascular disease risk through the serial measurement of several laboratory markers in HCV-monoinfected and HCV/HIV-coinfected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a longitudinal study, biomarkers of inflammation, coagulation and oxidative stress were measured during and after therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 56 patients were included; 32 (57.1%) were HCV/HIV coinfected and 24 (42.9%) were HCV monoinfected. Compared with baseline, during HCV therapy there was a significant decrease in the concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (P < 0.001), intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) (P ≤ 0.01) and oxidized low-density lipoproteins (P = 0.002). In contrast, levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and fibrinogen increased during treatment. After treatment discontinuation, levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and tumour necrosis factor-α were significantly lower compared with baseline, a change restricted to patients with sustained virological response. Decreases in transaminases and HCV-RNA from baseline correlated positively with the decrease in ICAM-1 concentration 6 months after treatment discontinuation. Changes in biomarkers were similar in HIV-infected and -uninfected patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment for HCV induces different changes in several cardiovascular risk biomarkers, most being anti-atherogenic effects, although only the anti-atherogenic effects remain after treatment discontinuation in patients with sustained virological response.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Elche, Alicante, Spain. marmasia@ya.com
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masiá
authors.forename: Catalina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robledano
authors.forename: Natividad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Escolano
authors.forename: Félix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a