title: Serum Sclerostin Levels in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Their Association with Bone Turnover Markers and Bone Mineral Densitometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to compare serum sclerostin levels in human im-munodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients and healthy controls, and to evaluate their relationship with bone turnover markers (BTM) and bone mineral density (BMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied 33 HIV treatment-naive patients and 63 healthy individuals; matched for age and sex. Serum sclerostin levels, BTM, BMD were measured. Viral load and cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) levels were also assessed in HIV-infected patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean±standard deviation (SD) age of sample was 37.6±10.3 years (range, 19 to 59 years). Of the 96 subjects, 58 (60.4%) were male and 38 (39.6%) were female. Infection with HIV is associated with significant reduction in serum sclerostin levels (HIV-infected: 39.4±28.3 vs. non HIV: 76.6±15.7 pmol/L; P<0.001) and a decrease in BMD at femoral neck and lumbar spine compared to healthy controls. Sclerostin however was not correlated with BMD and was not related to age, generally a strong correlation. There were no significant correlations between sclerostin and BTM (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that untreated HIV and the resulting immune deficiency and/or systemic inflammation could be an important regulator of serum sclerostin in this population.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Osteoporosis Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulrahman Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Almansouri
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Osteoporosis Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Abdulfatah
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Osteoporosis Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Omar H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Baaqil
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Osteoporosis Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Alaa A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bakheet
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Osteoporosis Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Turki
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mamdouh M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kotb
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Althubaiti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Majed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Almaghrabi
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Osteoporosis Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulrahman M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Althubaiti
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Osteoporosis Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Badr M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Madani
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Royal London Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ali S M
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Jawad
keywords: Glycoproteins; HIV; Osteoporosis; Saudi Arabia