Impact of human immunodeficiency virus infection on arterial stiffness and wave reflections in the early disease stages

Charalambos Vlachopoulos; Helen Sambatakou; Dimitris Tsiachris; Ilias Mariolis; Konstantinos Aznaouridis; Nikolaos Ioakeimidis; Athanasios J. Archimandritis; Christodoulos Stefanadis

doi:10.1016/j.artres.2009.08.001

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Volume 3, Issue 3, September 2009, Pages 104 - 110

Impact of human immunodeficiency virus infection on arterial stiffness and wave reflections in the early disease stages

Authors

Charalambos Vlachopoulos^a^{, *}, Helen Sambatakou^b, Dimitris Tsiachris^a, Ilias Mariolis^b, Konstantinos Aznaouridis^a, Nikolaos Ioakeimidis^a, Athanasios J. Archimandritis^b, Christodoulos Stefanadis^a

^aFirst Cardiology Clinic, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, University of Athens, Profiti Elia 24, Athens 14575, Greece

^b2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration Hospital, University of Athens, Greece

^*Corresponding author. Tel.: +30 6972272727; fax: +30 210 7485039. E-mail address: cvlachop@otenet.gr (C. Vlachopoulos).

Corresponding Author

Charalambos Vlachopoulos

Received 7 May 2009, Revised 31 July 2009, Accepted 27 August 2009, Available Online 9 October 2009.

DOI: 10.1016/j.artres.2009.08.001 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Aortic stiffness; Cytokines; Vascular biology; Wave reflections
Abstract: Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with subclinical inflammation and increased cardiovascular risk. Arterial stiffness and enhanced wave reflections are markers of cardiovascular disease and independent predictors of cardiovascular risk. The effect of HIV infection, per se, on aortic stiffness and wave reflections has not been clearly defined.

Methods: We studied 51 adults with a recent HIV infection, free of antiretroviral treatment and AIDS diagnosis, as well as 35 controls matched for age, sex and smoking status. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and timing of the reflected wave (Tr) were measured as indices of aortic stiffness, while aortic augmentation index (AIx) and augmented pressure (AP) were measured as indices of wave reflections.

Results: While PWV was similar in the two populations, Tr was significantly lower in HIV-infected subjects compared to controls (by 16.5ms, p=0.002). In addition, AIx and AP were decreased (by 6.4%, p=0.048 and by 3.3mmHg, p=0.010, respectively) in subjects with HIV infection. Moreover, HIV-infected patients compared with controls had increased values of hs-CRP [1.37 (0.85–2.53) vs. 0.75 (0.41–1.90) mg/l, p=0.007] and interleukin-6 [1.90 (0.91–3.9) vs. 1.28 (0.80–2.65) pg/ml, p=0.048]. Tr was negatively correlated with hs-CRP (r=−0.283, p=0.010) and interleukin-6 (r=−0.278, p=0.018).

Conclusions: Our study provides evidence of decreased wave reflections and similar aortic stiffness, as assessed by PWV, in the early stages of HIV infection in treatment-naive patients compared to controls. Subclinical inflammation and resultant peripheral vasodilatation constitute potential mediators of the whole pathophysiological process.
Copyright: © 2009 Association for Research into Arterial Structure and Physiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

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Journal: Artery Research
Volume-Issue: 3 - 3
Pages: 104 - 110
Publication Date: 2009/10/09
ISSN (Online): 1876-4401
ISSN (Print): 1872-9312
DOI: 10.1016/j.artres.2009.08.001 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

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ris enw bib

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Charalambos Vlachopoulos
AU  - Helen Sambatakou
AU  - Dimitris Tsiachris
AU  - Ilias Mariolis
AU  - Konstantinos Aznaouridis
AU  - Nikolaos Ioakeimidis
AU  - Athanasios J. Archimandritis
AU  - Christodoulos Stefanadis
PY  - 2009
DA  - 2009/10/09
TI  - Impact of human immunodeficiency virus infection on arterial stiffness and wave reflections in the early disease stages
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 104
EP  - 110
VL  - 3
IS  - 3
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2009.08.001
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2009.08.001
ID  - Vlachopoulos2009
ER  -

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