title: Inflammation markers correlate with common carotid intima-media thickness in patients perinatally infected with human immunodeficiency virus 1.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate common carotid intima-media thickness in a cohort of patients who were vertically infected with human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional observational study. Human immunodeficiency virus 1-infected patients were compared with age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched healthy participants. Common carotid intima-media thickness was measured in all participants on both sides of the neck, and the mean intima-media thickness was calculated. Metabolic parameters and markers of inflammation were measured only in HIV-1-infected patients. Statistical analysis was performed by multiple regression and by a matrix of Pearson correlation coefficients. The Student t test was used to compare mean common carotid intima-media thickness values between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty patients (21 female) with HIV-1 infection acquired from birth with a mean age ± SD of 16.3 ± 4.7 years and 27 healthy participants (11 female) with a mean age of 17.7 ± 4.6 years were included in the study. Mean common carotid intima-media thickness in the HIV-1-infected group (0.450 ± 0.088 mm) was significantly higher (P < .05) than in the control group (0.407 ± 0.079 mm). No significant association was found between intima-media thickness and a specific antiretroviral regimen, exposure to combined antiretroviral agents, and HIV status. In multiple regression analyses, higher levels of insulin (P= .007) and elevated levels of glycated hemoglobin (P= .01) were associated with intima-media thickness changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients perinatally infected with HIV have increased common carotid intima-media thickness compared with healthy individuals. These changes were more pronounced with increasing age and inflammation markers. Interventions that improve cardiovascular risk profiles should be considered in HIV-infected young adults.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Clinic, University of Genoa, San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy. antonio.dibiagio@hsanmartino.it
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Biagio
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mazzei
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bernardini
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nulvesu
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parisini
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicco
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Carli
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viscoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment