부산대학교 도서관

OBJECTIVES: HIV-infected patients are at risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. In a 12-month follow-up study, we aimed to investigate changes in carotid intima–media thickness (IMT), a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis, and its determinants in HIV-1-infected patients. METHODS: Our multicentre prospective longitudinal cohort study included 346 HIV-infected patients, for each of whom two IMT measurements were taken by B-mode ultrasonography at baseline (M0) and 1 year later (M12). RESULTS: We observed a significant but moderate increase in the common carotid artery (CCA) median IMT, from 0.54 to 0.56 mm (P < 10), i.e. an increase of 0.020 mm (95% confidence interval 0.012–0.029). There was a significant association between cross-sectional CCA IMT measures at M12 and conventional cardiovascular risk factors (higher CCA IMT with older age, P < 10; male gender, P = 0.02; tobacco consumption, P = 0.05), as well as higher CD4 cell count at M12 (>median 455 cells/μL, P = 0.01). Only CD4 cell count at M0 was strongly and positively associated with the variation in IMT between M0 and M12 (P = 4 × 10). IMT progression was +0.0020 mm for the lowest quartile of CD4 cell count distribution at M0, i.e. 3–253 cells/μL, +0.010 mm for 253–402 cells/μL, +0.043 mm for 402–590 cells/μL, and +0.028 mm for 590–2270 cells/μL. No association was found with type or duration of antiretroviral exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional cardiovascular risk factors are major determinants of IMT evolution. The link between immunological status and carotid IMT requires further study.