Ultrasonographic measures of cardiovascular disease risk in antiretroviral treatment-naive individuals with HIV infection

To evaluate associations between traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, inflammatory markers and markers of HIV disease activity with ultrasonographic measures of CVD risk in patients with HIV who are not receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Cross-sectional, baseline evaluation of ART-naive HIV-infected individuals without known CVD or diabetes mellitus enrolled in a randomized ART treatment trial. Prior to ART initiation, carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were measured. Additional parameters included CD4 cell count, HIV viral load, body composition, lipoproteins and inflammatory markers. Associations with common CIMT, bifurcation CIMT, presence of carotid artery lesions and brachial artery FMD were evaluated. The 331 enrolled individuals were a median (first-third quartile) of 36 (28-45) years old. Common and bifurcation CIMT values were higher and lesions more prevalent with older age (P