title: Are lipid disorders involved in the predominance of human T-lymphotropic virus-1 infections in women?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The human T-lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1) is associated with chronic inflammatory diseases such as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), a chronic inflammatory disease. Disturbances in lipid metabolism are involved in inflammatory and demyelinating diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and fractions of HTLV-1-infected individuals of both sexes with different clinical progressions were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated levels of triglyceride and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) were exclusively detected in HTLV-1-infected women from asymptomatic and HAM/TSP groups compared with uninfected individuals (p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated triglyceride and VLDL levels in HTLV-1-infected women may be related to the predominance of HAM/TSP in women.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana Debortoli de
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandra Rocha
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Gadelha
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lauro Juliano
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Eustaquio Alvim
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Brito-Melo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Pacheco Silveira
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavio Guimarães da
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edel Figueiredo
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Barbosa-Stancioli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D052439:Lipid Metabolism Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol