title: Impaired distensibility of ascending aorta in patients with HIV infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to investigate the aortic distensibility (AD) of the ascending aorta and carotid artery intima-media thickness (c-IMT) in HIV-infected patients compared to healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and five HIV-infected patients (86 males [82%], mean age 41 ± 0.92 years), and 124 age and sex matched HIV-1 uninfected controls (104 males [84%], mean age 39.2 ± 1.03 years) were evaluated by high-resolution ultrasonography to determine AD and c-IMT. For all patients and controls clinical and laboratory factors associated with atherosclerosis were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV- infected patients had reduced AD compared to controls: 2.2 ± 0.01 vs. 2.62 ± 0.01 10(-6) cm(2) dyn(-1), respectively (p < 0.001). No difference was found in c-IMT between the two groups. In multiadjusted analysis, HIV infection was independently associated with decreased distensibility (beta -0.45, p < 0.001). Analysis among HIV-infected patients showed that patients exposed to HAART had decreased AD compared to HAART-naïve patients [mean (SD): 2.18(0.02) vs. 2.28(0.03) 10(-6) cm(2) dyn(-1), p = 0.01]. In multiadjusted analysis, increasing age and exposure to HAART were independently associated with decreased AD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV infection is independently associated with decreased distensibility of the ascending aorta, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. Increasing age and duration of exposure to HAART are factors further contributing to decreased AD.
authors: Radiology Department, Laikon General Hospital of Athens, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University, Mikras Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors: Alexandra
authors: A
authors: Zormpala
authors: Nikolaos V
authors: NV
authors: Sipsas
authors: Ioannis
authors: I
authors: Moyssakis
authors: Sarah P
authors: SP
authors: Georgiadou
authors: Maria N
authors: MN
authors: Gamaletsou
authors: Athanasios N
authors: AN
authors: Kontos
authors: Panayiotis D
authors: PD
authors: Ziakas
authors: Theodore
authors: T
authors: Kordossis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography