Plasma monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels predict the presence of coronary artery calcium in HIV-infected individuals independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a validated subclinical measure of atherosclerosis. Studies in the general population have linked blood inflammatory biomarkers including monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α with the burden of CAC, but this relationship is often lost following correction for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. We assessed the relationship of various biomarkers to CAC, specifically in HIV-infected individuals on potent antiretroviral therapy (ART). Analyses utilized entry data from participants in the Hawaii Aging with HIV-Cardiovascular (HAHC-CVD) study. Computerized tomography examinations for CAC were obtained locally and analyzed by a central reading center in blinded fashion. Plasma biomarkers were assessed by multiplexing using Milliplex Human Cardiovascular Disease panels. Among a cohort of 130 subjects [88% male, median (IQR) age of 51 (46-57) years, CD4 count of 492 (341-635) cells/mm(3), 86.9% with HIV RNA ≤50 copies/ml], CAC was present in 46.9% of subjects. In univariate analyses higher levels of log-transformed MCP-1 and TNF-α were associated with the presence of CAC (p