Understanding the Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in People With HIV

HIV is a virus that can lead to AIDS, a disease that breaks down the immune system and allows for entry of life-threatening secondary infections. HIV is transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids, primarily through sexual intercourse. Using ART treatments, people with HIV have been able to delay HIV replication and immune system deterioration and to improve quality of life. Data from the Strategies for Management of Antiretroviral Therapy (SMART) study indicate that episodic use of ART is associated with a higher risk of CVD than is continuous use of ART. The reasons behind this increased risk of CVD in the presence of HIV are not well understood. This study will determine mechanisms underlying the increased CVD risk among people infected with HIV and, specifically, in those who receive episodic ART.

This ancillary study to SMART will use relevant data and specimens from three subsamples of SMART participants and key subgroups. The three subsamples include participants randomly assigned to episodic or continuous ART, participants who had no previous use of ART prior to study entry or had ceased ART within 6 months prior to study entry, and participants who had experienced a CVD event with two matched controls for each case. The subgroups will include episodic and continuous ART participants who were taking either a protease inhibitor (PI) or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) at study entry.

This current study will use previously collected SMART data. Researchers will use data on CD4+ count and HIV-RNA levels from a prebaseline study visit and follow-up study visits that occurred at Months 1 and 2, then every 2 months for Year 1, and every 4 months thereafter during the SMART study. In addition, this study will use baseline and yearly data provided by SMART participants on CVD risk factors and treatment, including use of drug treatments for high blood pressure, diabetes history, cholesterol levels, smoking history, white blood cell count, and height and weight measurements. Last, using plasma specimens that were collected at baseline, the Month 1 follow-up, and the final follow-up, researchers will compare changes in lipoprotein particle size and numbers, as measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and changes in inflammatory and coagulation markers.

Inclusion criteria

• Participant in the SMART study
• CD4+ lymphocyte count greater than 350 cells/mm3

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of life-threatening diseases