title: Relationship between markers of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation and subclinical atherosclerosis in HIV-infected male patients below 55 years of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients appears to be associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD).The aim of our study was to investigate the differences in markers of inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and prothrombotic state between treated and untreated HIV-infected patients with or without subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six Slovenian HIV-infected male patients below the age of 55 participated in our study. Levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) were measured. The presence of subclinical atherosclerosis was determined by measuring carotid intima-media thickness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of hsCRP was significantly increased in HIV-infected patients; it was higher in treated than untreated patients. VCAM-1 was significantly increased; it was higher in untreated than treated patients. PAI 1 was significantly increased; there were no differences between untreated and treated patients. Patients with subclinical atherosclerosis had elevated hsCRP; levels of VCAM-1 and PAI-1 were not significantly different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Signs of systemic and vascular inflammation persist in both untreated and treated HIV infected patients. None of the studied markers contributed to improved assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis. The usefulness of such markers in routine clinical evaluation of CVD risk in HIV infected patients remains unclear.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Corresponding author: mateja.pirs@mf.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Mateja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirš
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Diseases, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Borut
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jug
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Diseases, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eržen
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Diseases, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mišo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Šabović
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Illnesses, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Primož
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poljak
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Illnesses, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Janez
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomažič
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017524:Slovenia; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein