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. 2022 Dec 1;36(15):2129-2137.
doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000003368. Epub 2022 Aug 23.

Proinflammatory and cardiovascular biomarkers are associated with echocardiographic abnormalities in children with HIV taking antiretroviral therapy

Edith D Majonga  1   2 , Louis-Marie Yindom  3 , Dan Hameiri-Bowen  3 , Justin Mayini  1 , Andrea M Rehman  4 , Juan P Kaski  5   6 , Hilda A Mujuru  7 , Sarah L Rowland-Jones  3 , Rashida A Ferrand  1   8
Affiliations

Proinflammatory and cardiovascular biomarkers are associated with echocardiographic abnormalities in children with HIV taking antiretroviral therapy

Edith D Majonga et al. AIDS. .

Abstract

Objectives: Children with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) and taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) have a high prevalence of subclinical cardiac disease. We hypothesized that cardiac disease may be a consequence of dysregulated systemic immune activation driven by HIV infection. We examined cardiovascular and proinflammatory biomarkers and their association with echocardiographic abnormalities in children with PHIV.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of soluble biomarkers from a prospective cohort of children aged 6-16 years with PHIV and age-matched HIV-uninfected comparison group.

Methods: Cryopreserved plasma samples were used to measure seven soluble biomarkers using multiplex bead assay (Luminex). Multivariable logistic regression assessed how biomarker levels related to cardiac abnormalities.

Results: A total of 406 children participated in this study (195 PHIV and 211 HIV-uninfected). Mean [standard deviation (SD)] ages of PHIV and HIV-uninfected participants were 10.7 (2.6) and 10.8 (2.8) years, respectively. Plasma levels of CRP, TNF-α, ST2, VCAM-1 and GDF-15 were significantly higher in the PHIV group compared with uninfected control ( P < 0.001). Among children with PHIV, with one-unit representing one SD in biomarker level, a one-unit increase in CRP and GDF-15, was associated with increased odds of having left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.49 (1.02-2.18; P < 0.040)] and [aOR 1.71 (1.18-2.53; P = 0.006)], respectively. Each one unit increase in GDF-15 was associated with increased odds of LV hypertrophy [aOR 1.84 (95% CI 1.10-3.10; P < 0.021)].

Conclusion: Children with PHIV had higher levels of proinflammatory and cardiovascular biomarkers compared with HIV-uninfected children. Increased CRP and GDF-15 were associated with cardiac abnormalities in children with PHIV.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Comparison of biomarkers by HIV status and Viral suppression
A) shows the comparison of log10 biomarker levels between HIV+ and HIV- groups and B) is a comparison of log10 biomarker levels by viral suppression within the HIV+ group using Wilcoxon rank sum test. Stars represent levels of significance, * 0.05, ** 0.01, ***0.001, **** 0.0001
Figure 2
Figure 2. Spearman rank correlations between biomarkers among those without and with HIV
Number within square indicates Spearman rank correlation coefficient between biomarkers. Correlations are significant at (p <0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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