title: Immune activation in HIV-infected aging women on antiretrovirals--implications for age-associated comorbidities: a cross-sectional pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Persistent immune activation and microbial translocation associated with HIV infection likely place HIV-infected aging women at high risk of developing chronic age-related diseases. We investigated immune activation and microbial translocation in HIV-infected aging women in the post-menopausal ages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven post-menopausal women with HIV infection receiving antiretroviral treatment with documented viral suppression and 15 HIV-negative age-matched controls were enrolled. Levels of immune activation markers (T cell immune phenotype, sCD25, sCD14, sCD163), microbial translocation (LPS) and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and impaired cognitive function (sVCAM-1, sICAM-1 and CXCL10) were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  T cell activation and exhaustion, monocyte/macrophage activation, and microbial translocation were significantly higher in HIV-infected women when compared to uninfected controls. Microbial translocation correlated with T cell and monocyte/macrophage activation. Biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and impaired cognition were elevated in women with HIV infection and correlated with immune activation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV-infected antiretroviral-treated aging women who achieved viral suppression are in a generalized status of immune activation and therefore are at an increased risk of age-associated end-organ diseases compared to uninfected age-matched controls.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Alcaide
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parmigiani
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pallikkuth
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roach
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Freguja
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Della Negra
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bolivar
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fischl
authors.forename: Savita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pahwa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018988:Bacterial Translocation; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000276:immunology; D003071:Cognition; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017698:Postmenopause; D012995:Solubility; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers