title: Ocular parameters of biological ageing in HIV-infected individuals in South Africa: relationship with chronological age and systemic biomarkers of ageing.
abstract: HIV-infected individuals have an increased risk of age-related morbidity despite antiretroviral treatment (ART). Several anatomic and functional ophthalmological parameters are associated with increasing chronological age. These may, therefore, potentially serve as biomarkers of ageing. We investigated associations between ocular parameters (lens density, retinal vessel calibre, corneal endothelium and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness) and two 'cellular' biomarkers of ageing (leukocyte telomere length and CDKN2A expression) and with frailty in a cross-sectional study of 216 HIV-infected individuals. All ocular parameters, telomere length and frailty were associated with chronological age, whereas CDKN2A expression was not. Retinal venular calibre and lens density were associated with shorter telomere length (p-trend=0.04, and 0.08, respectively), whereas CDKN2A expression and frailty status were not associated with ocular parameters. Longitudinal studies are warranted to assess the integration of retinal vascular calibre and lens density with systemic markers to develop an overall index of biological ageing in HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Eye Health, Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK; Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: Sophia.pathai@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pathai
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Shiels
authors.forename: Helen A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Clare E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: Tunde
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peto
authors.forename: Linda-Gail
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Bekker
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Tien Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lawn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D000886:Anthropometry; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D013019:South Africa; D016615:Telomere / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014785:Vision, Ocular
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16
keywords: CDKN2A; HIV; Lens density; Retinal vessel calibre; Telomeres