: By removing the viral load-negative individuals and confirming the initial Vironostika-LS EIA results by avidity testing, the incidence estimate was lowered from 1.73% to 0.94% per year in 2001 and from 1.90% to 0.56% per year in 2003. Viral suppression affects the performance of the cross-sectional incidence tests, which rely on antibody titer. In addition, 2% (10 of 426) of all HIV-infected individuals who use the JHH ED for medical care seem to suppress HIV to undetectable levels without ARVs.

BackgroundDespite evidence for higher risk of coronary artery disease among HIV+ individuals, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We investigated associations of inflammatory markers with subclinical coronary artery disease in 923 participants of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (575 HIV+ and 348 HIV− men) who underwent noncontrast computed tomography scans for coronary artery calcification, the majority (n=692) also undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography.Methods and ResultsOutcomes included presence and extent of coronary artery calcification, plus computed tomography angiography analysis of presence, composition, and extent of coronary plaques and severity of coronary stenosis. HIV+ men had significantly higher levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), intercellular adhesion molecule‐1, C‐reactive protein, and soluble‐tumor necrosis factor‐α receptor (sTNFαR) I and II (all P<0.01) and a higher prevalence of noncalcified plaque (63% versus 54%, P=0.02) on computed tomography angiography. Among HIV+ men, for every SD increase in log‐interleukin‐6 and log intercellular adhesion molecule‐1, there was a 30% and 60% increase, respectively, in the prevalence of coronary stenosis ≥50% (all P<0.05). Similarly, sTNFαR I and II in HIV+ participants were associated with an increase in prevalence of coronary stenosis ≥70% (P<0.05). Higher levels of interleukin‐6, sTNFαR I, and sTNFαR II were also associated with greater coronary artery calcification score in HIV+ men (P<0.01).ConclusionsHigher inflammatory marker levels are associated with greater prevalence of coronary stenosis in HIV+ men. Our findings underscore the need for further study to elucidate the relationships of inflammatory pathways with coronary artery disease in HIV+ individuals.

Multiple ED-based studies meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline threshold to recommend routine screening, in conjunction with limited feasibility trials and extrapolation from cost-benefit studies, provide evidence to recommend that EDs offer HIV screening to high-risk patients (i.e., those with identifiable risk factors) or high-risk populations (i.e., those where HIV seroprevelance is at least 1%).

Objective Cytokines released by epicardial fat are implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. HIV infection and anti-retroviral therapy have been associated with changes in body fat distribution and coronary artery disease. We sought to determine if HIV infection is associated with greater epicardial fat and if epicardial fat is associated with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. Design We studied 579 HIV-infected and 353 HIV-uninfected men age 40 to 70 years with non-contrast computed tomography (CT) to measure epicardial adipose tissue volume (EAT) and coronary artery calcium (CAC). Total plaque score (TPS), and plaque subtypes (non-calcified, calcified and mixed) were measured by coronary CT angiography in 706 men. Methods We evaluated the association between EAT and HIV serostatus, and the association of EAT with subclinical atherosclerosis, adjusting for age, race and serostatus and with additional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and tested for modifying effects of HIV serostatus. Results HIV-infected men had greater EAT than HIV-uninfected men (p=0.001). EAT was positively associated with duration of antiretroviral therapy (p=0.02), specifically AZT (p<0.05). EAT was associated with presence of any coronary artery plaque (p=0.006) and non-calcified plaque (p=0.001), adjusting for age, race, serostatus and CV risk factors. Among men with CAC, EAT was associated with CAC extent (p=0.006). HIV serostatus did not modify associations between EAT and either CAC extent or presence of plaque. Conclusions Greater epicardial fat volume in HIV-infected men and its association with coronary plaque and antiretroviral therapy duration suggest potential mechanisms that might lead to increased risk for cardiovascular disease in HIV.