Original Title:
Υπερηχοτομογραφική μελέτη της διατασιμότητας της ανιούσας αορτής και του πάχους του μέσου χιτώνα της καρωτίδας, ως δεικτών πρώιμης αθηροσκλήρωσης, σε ασθενείς με HIV-λοίμωξη
Summary:
Background: Our aim was to investigate the aortic distensibility (AD) of the
ascending aorta and carotid artery intima-media thickness (c-IMT) in
HIV-infected patients compared to healthy controls.
Methods: One hundred and five HIV-infected patients (86 males [82%], mean age
41 ± 0.92 years), and 124 age and sex matched HIV-1 uninfected controls (104
males [84%], mean age 39.2 ± 1.03 years) were evaluated by high-resolution
ultrasonography to determine AD and c-IMT. For all patients and controls
clinical and laboratory factors associated with atherosclerosis were recorded.
Results: HIV- infected patients had reduced AD compared to controls: 2.2 ± 0.01
vs. 2.62 ± 0.01 10-6 cm2 dyn-1, respectively (p < 0.001). No difference was
found in c-IMT between the two groups. In multiadjusted analysis, HIV infection
was independently associated with decreased distensibility (beta –0.45, p <
0.001). Analysis among HIV-infected patients showed that patients exposed to
HAART had decreased AD compared to HAART-naive patients [mean (SD): 2.18(0.02)
vs. 2.28(0.03) 10-6 cm2 dyn-1, p = 0.01]. In multiadjusted analysis, increasing
age and
exposure to HAART were independently associated with decreased AD.
Conclusion: HIV infection is independently associated with decreased
distensibility of the ascending aorta, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis.
Increasing age and duration of exposure to HAART are factors further
contributing to decreased AD.
Keywords:
HIV, Aortic distensibility, HAART, Atherosclerosis, Carotid artery intima-media thickness
