title: Calcium score in the evaluation of atherosclerosis in patients with HIV/AIDS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antiretroviral therapy has dramatically increased life expectancy in patients with HIV/AIDS although atherosclerosis has been associated with long-standing therapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of atherosclerosis in patients with AIDS undergoing antiretroviral therapy and the influence of different schemes and duration of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  HIV/AIDS patients were approached during routine consultations. Those who had been on antiretroviral therapy for at least two years had their blood collected for analysis of lipid profile and fasting glycemia and underwent cardiac CT for quantification of calcium score within six days at the most. Atherosclerosis was defined as calcium score greater than zero (CAC > 0). Traditional risk factors, metabolic syndrome and Framingham score were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three patients performed cardiac CT. Twenty-seven (50.94%) were male, mean age 43.4 years; 20.00% had hypertension, 3.77% diabetes, 67.92% hypercholesterolemia, 37.74% hypertriglyceridemia and 47.17% low HDL. Thirteen (24.53%) met criteria for metabolic syndrome and 96.23% were classified in Framingham score as "low risk." Ten patients (18.87%) were smokers. Mean duration of antiretroviral treatment was 58.98 months. Coronary atherosclerosis occurred in 11 (20.75%) patients. Duration of antiretroviral therapy was not related to atherosclerosis (p = 0.41) and there were no significant differences between different antiretroviral regimens (p = 0.71). Among traditional risk factors, smoking (OR = 27.20; p = 0.023) and age (OR = 20.59; p = 0.033) were significant in the presence of atherosclerosis. There was a trend towards a positive association of atherosclerosis with hypercholesterolemia (OR = 8.30; p = 0.0668).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors associated with atherosclerosis were age, smoking and hypercholesterolemia. Duration and type of antiretroviral therapy had no influence on the prevalence of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade de Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Verônica Soares
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Heloisa Ramos
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Lacerda
authors.forename: Marly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uellendahl
authors.forename: Tien Man
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Valéria Maria de
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.forename: Josefina Cláudia
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Zirpoli
authors.forename: Ricardo Araes
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ximenes
authors.forename: Maria de Fátima Militão de
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.forename: Demócrito de Barros
authors.initials: Dde B
authors.lastname: Miranda Filho
authors.forename: Dário
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sobral Filho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology