title: Cardiovascular risk assessment in HIV-infected male patients: a comparison of Framingham, SCORE, PROCAM and DAD risk equations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditional cardiovascular (CVD) risk assessment algorithms such as the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) and Prospective Cardiovascular Munster (PROCAM) were developed for general populations, their usefulness in HIV-infected population has not been confirmed. DAD algorithm was developed specifically for HIV-infected patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate the performance of risk assessment algorithms in HIV-infected population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cross-sectional national study that included 83 HIV-infected male patients from Slovenia below the age of 55 was performed. CVD risk was assessed using four algorithms, the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis was determined by measuring carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT); patients were followed up for 5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High proportion of patients with low CVD risk according to FRS (61.9%) and PROCAM (81.0%) and only 7.1% according to SCORE had evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis. Only 7.1% of patients with low CVD risk according to DAD algorithm had evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study has shown that SCORE and DAD algorithm were superior to FRS and PROCAM. In younger HIV-infected patients, even with moderate CVD risk, CIMT assessment should be employed in a complete clinical evaluation as a more aggressive prevention and treatment approach is warranted.
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; D000465:Algorithms; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017524:Slovenia / Q000453:epidemiology