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To evaluate cardiovascular risk factors in Caucasian and African American HIV+ women undergoing treatment with HAART including a protease inhibitor (PI).Anthropometric measures and fasting blood samples were obtained from 32 Caucasian and 10 African American women. Serum was analyzed for glucose, insulin, and lipid levels.The African American women were significantly older than the Caucasian women. Body mass index (BMI) was higher in the African American women, and 80% of the African American women and 47% of the Caucasian women were overweight. There were no significant differences in fasting insulin, fasting glucose, or HOMA-IR. However, African American women had significantly higher HDL levels, whereas Caucasian women had higher triglycerides and LDL. When age-matched women were compared, total as well as LDL cholesterol was significantly higher in the Caucasian women. The ratio of total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol was 3.4 +/- 1.1 in the African American women and 5.5 +/- 1.6 (p=.021) in the age-matched Caucasian women.The differences in lipid levels in HIV+ African American and Caucasian women were greater than those reported in the literature for normal women. Although the sample size is small, the data suggest that the effect of HIV infection and/or HAART on lipid levels may be different in Caucasian and African American women. Large-scale studies will be necessary to confirm these results and clarify the mechanisms involved.

Elevated total homocysteine (tHcy) levels are associated with increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. tHcy levels are higher in men than in women, and estrogen replacement therapy may reduce tHcy levels in postmenopausal women. The effect of androgenic hormones on tHcy levels in men has not been examined. The present study determined the effect of supraphysiologic doses of testosterone, with or without its aromatization to estradiol, on fasting tHcy levels in 14 normal male weightlifters aged 19-42 years. Subjects received testosterone-enanthate (200 mg/week intramuscularly), the aromatase inhibitor, testolactone (1 g/day orally), or both drugs together in a crossover design. Each treatment lasted 3 weeks and each treatment was separated by a 4-week washout. Both testosterone regimens increased serum testosterone levels, whereas estradiol increased only during testosterone alone. Mean tHcy levels were not significantly altered when testosterone was given alone or together with testolactone. Testolactone did not significantly influence tHcy levels. We conclude that short-term, high-dose testosterone administration does not affect fasting tHcy levels in normal men.