title: Low plasma levels of the soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products in HIV-infected patients with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis receiving combined antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has significantly improved the survival rate and quality of life for HIV-infected subjects, but it contributes to the development of metabolic complications including coronary artery disease (CAD). Recent studies have reported that high plasma levels of the soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) were associated with a lower incidence of CAD in non-HIV infected patients. However, there has been no report of an association of sRAGE and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in HIV-infected patients receiving cART.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the association of circulating sRAGE in HIV-infected patients with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and other metabolic variables. We prospectively enrolled 76 HIV-infected patients receiving cART for ≥ 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  sRAGE had a significantly negative correlation with body mass index (r = -0.324, p = 0.005), waist-to-hip ratio (r = -0.335, p = 0.003), systolic blood pressure (BP) (r=-0.359, p=0.002), diastolic BP (r = -0.343, p = 0.004), total cholesterol (r = -0.240, p = 0.037), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (r=-0.284, p=0.024), log(homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]) (r = -0.380, p = 0.002) and carotid IMT including max-IMT and mean-IMT (r = -0.358, p = 0.001 and r = -0.329, p = 0.004, respectively). By the use of multiple stepwise regression analyses, systolic BP (p=0.001) and log[HOMA-IR] (p = 0.001) remained significant independently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that sRAGE may have a protective effect against subclinical atherosclerosis by preventing inflammatory responses mediated by the activation of cell surface RAGE in HIV-infected patients receiving cART.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and AIDS Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Chang Oh
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Goo
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ji-hyeon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Sun Bean
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Nam Su
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jun Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyun Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: June Myung
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000097:blood*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic