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Objectives The Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment ( START) trial has recruited antiretroviral-naïve individuals with high CD4 cell counts from all regions of the world. We describe the distribution of cardiovascular disease ( CVD) risk factors, overall and by geographical region, at study baseline. Methods The distribution of CVD risk factors was assessed and compared by geographical region among START participants who had a baseline electrocardiogram ( n = 4019; North America, 11%; Europe/ Australia/ Israel, 36%; South America, 26%; Asia, 4%; Africa, 23%; median age 36 years; 26% female). Results About 58.3% ( n = 2344) of the participants had at least one CVD risk factor and 18.9% ( n = 761) had two or more. The most common CVD risk factors were current smoking (32%), hypertension (19.3%) and obesity (16.5%). There were significant differences in the prevalence of CVD risk factors among geographical regions. The prevalence of at least one risk factor across regions was as follows: North America, 70.0%; Europe/ Australia/ Israel, 65.1%; South America, 49.4%; Asia, 37.0%; Africa, 55.8% ( P-value < 0.001). Significant regional differences were also observed when risk factors were used as part of the Framingham and Data Collection on Adverse events of Anti- HIV Drugs ( D: A: D) risk scores or used to define a favourable risk profile. Conclusions CVD risk factors are common among START participants, and their distribution varies by geographical region. Better understanding of how and why CVD risk factors develop in people with HIV infection and their geographical distributions could shed light on appropriate strategies for CVD prevention and may inform the interpretation of the results of START, as CVD is expected to be a major fraction of the primary endpoints observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Relative risk of cardiovascular disease among people living with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis," by F. M. Islam and colleagues in the September 2012 issue.

Background Cardiovascular disease risk prediction models underestimate CVD risk in people living with HIV (PLWH). Our goal is to derive a risk score based on protein biomarkers that could be used to predict CVD in PLWH. Methods and Results In a matched case-control study, we analyzed normalized protein expression data for participants enrolled in 1 of 4 trials conducted by INSIGHT (International Network for Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials). We used dimension reduction, variable selection and resampling methods, and multivariable conditional logistic regression models to determine candidate protein biomarkers and to generate a protein score for predicting CVD in PLWH. We internally validated our findings using bootstrap. A protein score that was derived from 8 proteins (including HGF [hepatocyte growth factor] and interleukin-6) was found to be associated with an increased risk of CVD after adjustment for CVD and HIV factors (odds ratio: 2.17 [95% CI: 1.58-2.99]). The protein score improved CVD prediction when compared with predicting CVD risk using the individual proteins that comprised the protein score. Individuals with a protein score above the median score were 3.10 (95% CI, 1.83-5.41) times more likely to develop CVD than those with a protein score below the median score. Conclusions A panel of blood biomarkers may help identify PLWH at a high risk for developing CVD. If validated, such a score could be used in conjunction with established factors to identify CVD at-risk individuals who might benefit from aggressive risk reduction, ultimately shedding light on CVD pathogenesis in PLWH.

Background: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles have properties beyond reverse cholesterol transport. We hypothesized that their protection extends to inflammation-related disease. The predictive value of HDL particle subclasses and inflammatory markers was studied for noncardiovascular, noncancer chronic inflammation-related death and hospitalization, and for incident cardiovascular disease (CVD)., Methods and Results: A multiethnic, multicenter, prospective observational study was conducted in 6475 men and women (aged 45 to 84 years) free of known CVD at baseline with median follow-up of 10.1 years. Fasting venous samples were analyzed for baseline lipid profile and lipoprotein particles. We focused on the HDL family of variables (small-, medium-, and large-diameter HDL particles and HDL cholesterol). Analyses identified the sum of small- plus medium-diameter HDL particles as important. Small- plus medium-diameter HDL particles were inversely associated with diagnostic code-based noncardiovascular, noncancer chronic inflammation-related death and hospitalization (n=1054) independent of covariates: relative risk per SD 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79 to 0.91, P<0.0001). Small- plus medium-diameter HDL particles were also associated with adjudicated fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease events (n=423): relative risk per SD 0.88 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.98, P=0.02)., Conclusions: Small- plus medium-diameter HDL particles are an independent predictor for noncardiovascular, noncancer chronic inflammation-related death and hospitalization and for coronary heart disease events in subjects initially free of overt CVD. These findings support the hypothesis that smaller HDL particles of diameter <9.4 nm have anti-inflammatory properties in the general population., (© 2015 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.)

Background: In the general population, raised levels of inflammatory markers are stronger predictors of fatal than nonfatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. People with HIV have elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and D-dimer; HIV-induced activation of inflammatory and coagulation pathways may be responsible for their greater risk of CVD. Whether the enhanced inflammation and coagulation associated with HIV is associated with more fatal CVD events has not been investigated., Methods and Results: Biomarkers were measured at baseline for 9764 patients with HIV and no history of CVD. Of these patients, we focus on the 288 that experienced either a fatal (n=74) or nonfatal (n=214) CVD event over a median of 5 years. Odds ratios (ORs) (fatal versus nonfatal CVD) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) associated with a doubling of IL-6, D-dimer, hsCRP, and a 1-unit increase in an IL-6 and D-dimer score, measured a median of 2.6 years before the event, were 1.39 (1.07 to 1.79), 1.40 (1.10 to 1.78), 1.09 (0.93 to 1.28), and 1.51 (1.15 to 1.97), respectively. Of the 214 patients with nonfatal CVD, 23 died during follow-up. Hazard ratios (95% CI) for all-cause mortality were 1.72 (1.28 to 2.31), 1.73 (1.27 to 2.36), 1.44 (1.15 to 1.80), and 1.88 (1.39 to 2.55), respectively, for IL-6, D-dimer, hsCRP, and the IL-6 and D-dimer score., Conclusions: Higher IL-6 and D-dimer levels reflecting enhanced inflammation and coagulation associated with HIV are associated with a greater risk of fatal CVD and a greater risk of death after a nonfatal CVD event., Clinical Trial Registration Url: http://www.clinicaltrial.gov Unique identifier: SMART: NCT00027352, ESPRIT: NCT00004978, SILCAAT: NCT00013611., (© 2014 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.)

Background: HIV infection leads to activation of coagulation, which may increase the risk for atherosclerosis and venous thromboembolic disease. We hypothesized that HIV replication increases coagulation potentially through alterations in extrinsic pathway factors., Methods and Results: Extrinsic pathway factors were measured among a subset of HIV participants from the Strategies for Management of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (SMART) trial. Thrombin generation was estimated using validated computational modeling based on factor composition. We characterized the effect of antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment versus the untreated state (HIV replication) via 3 separate analyses: (1) a cross-sectional comparison of those on and off ART (n=717); (2) a randomized comparison of deferring versus starting ART (n=217); and (3) a randomized comparison of stopping versus continuing ART (n=500). Compared with viral suppression, HIV replication consistently showed short-term increases in some procoagulants (eg, 15% to 23% higher FVIII; P<0.001) and decreases in key anticoagulants (eg, 5% to 9% lower antithrombin [AT] and 6% to 10% lower protein C; P<0.01). The net effect of HIV replication was to increase coagulation potential (eg, 24% to 48% greater thrombin generation from computational models; P<0.01 for all). The pattern of changes from HIV replication was reversed with ART treatment and consistent across all 3 independent comparisons., Conclusions: HIV replication leads to complex changes in extrinsic pathway factors, with the net effect of increasing coagulation potential to a degree that may be clinically relevant. The key influence of changes in FVIII and AT suggests that HIV-related coagulation abnormalities may involve changes in hepatocyte function in the context of systemic inflammation.

Background: The Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial evaluated a multifactor intervention on coronary heart disease (CHD) in 12 866 men. A priori defined endpoints (CHD death, CHD death or nonfatal myocardial infarction, cardiovascular disease [CVD] death, and all-cause death) did not differ significantly between the special intervention (SI) and usual care (UC) groups over an average follow-up period of 7 years. Event rates were lower than anticipated, reducing power. Other nonfatal CVD outcomes were prespecified but not considered in composite outcomes comparing SI with UC., Methods and Results: Post-trial CVD mortality risks associated with nonfatal CVD events occurring during the trial were determined with Cox regression. Nonfatal outcomes associated with >2-fold risk of CVD death over the subsequent 20 years were combined with during-trial deaths to create 2 new composite outcomes. SI/UC hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated for each composite outcome. Of 10 during-trial nonfatal events, 6 were associated (P<0.001) with >2-fold risk of CVD death. A CHD composite outcome (CHD death, myocardial infarction [clinical or serial ECG change], CHF, or coronary artery surgery) was experienced by 520 SI and 602 UC men (SI/UC hazard ratio = 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.76-0.97; P=0.01). A CVD composite outcome (CHD [as above], other CVD deaths, stroke, or renal impairment) was experienced by 581 SI and 652 UC men (hazard ratio = 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-0.99; P=0.04)., Conclusions: In post hoc analyses, composite fatal/nonfatal CHD and CVD rates over 7 years were significantly lower for SI than for UC. These findings reinforce recommendations for improved dietary/lifestyle practices, with pharmacological therapy as needed, to prevent and control major CVD risk factors.