title: Can HTLV-1 infection be a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic inflammations including infectious disorders such as HIV infection are now considered as risk factors for atherosclerosis. In this study, conducted for the first time on human subjects, human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection was examined as a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a matched-pair cross-sectional study on 58 HTLV-1-infected cases and 55 healthy control subjects. The subjects did not have any major cerebrovascular risk factors. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured for each patient using the standard protocol of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the subjects was 42.9 ± 10.52 years, and males made up 33% of the population. The difference between the mean IMT of the infected case group and that of the healthy control group was significant (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicated that the HTLV-infected individuals showed a greater carotid IMT than the age- and sex-matched control subjects. Observing no other known risk factor for atherosclerosis, we concluded that this significant difference in IMT might support the hypothesis that HTLV-1 infection is an independent risk factor for atherogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Layegh
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shoeibi
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nikkhah
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghabeli Juibary
authors.forename: Samaheh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raftari
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Darbarpanah
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boroumand
authors.forename: Mahmoudreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azarpazhooh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000821:virology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors