Thickness of the carotid arteries intimae-media in patients with HIV

Abstract

Aim: the patients with HIV may be at higher risk of coronary disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the thickness of the intimae media (IMT) of the common carotid artery as a marker of early atherosclerosis in patients with HIV, as compared to healthy subjects without HIV infection.

Methods: a case study and controls was carried out taking measurements of the (IMT) in the carotid arteries in 25 patients with HIV and 31 healthy patients. Glycemia, lipids profile, virus load and CD4 count were measured in HIV patients: they were divided into two groups, patients receiving or not protease inhibitors (PI), and the results obtained were compared.

Results: the IMT was 0,76 mm in patients with HIV and 0,79 mm in healthy patients (p=0,24). In patients with HIV, the IMT, regardless if they received PI or not was: 0,76 and 0,75 mm respectively p=0,79. The patients that received PI had dislipidemia more frequently, mainly a decrease of HDL cholesterol (12 patients against 5 in the group that did received them; p=0,04).

Conclusions: these data suggest that there is no high risk of atherosclerosis in patients with HIV, although longitudinal studies will be needed for further clarification. Higher frequency of dislipidemia in those receiving PI may be due to the therapy or to high levels before the treatment and that were not measured in this study.