Metabolic abnormalities in HIV disease and injection drug use

Micronutrients and HIV infection

The immune system requires several essential micronutrients to maintain an effective immune response. HIV infection destroys the immune system and promotes nutritional deficiencies, which further impair immunity. This article reviews the role of several micronutrients (vitamins A, C, E and D, the B vitamins, and minerals, selenium, iron and zinc) that are relevant for maintaining immune function. In addition, the deficiencies of these micronutrients have been associated with faster progression of HIV-1 disease. This review examines the evidence from observational studies of an association between micronutrient status and HIV disease, as well as the effectiveness of micronutrient supplementation on HIV-disease progression, pregnancy outcomes and nutritional status, among others, utilizing randomized clinical trials. Each micronutrient is introduced with a summary of its functions in human physiology, followed by the presentation of studies conducted in HIV-infected patients in relation to this specific micronutrient. Overall findings and recommendations are then summarized.

HIV-1 clade C infection and progressive disruption in the relationship between cortisol, DHEAS and CD4 cell numbers: a two-year follow-up study

BACKGROUND

It is well established that there is mutual interaction between the neuroendocrines and immune systems and that the disturbance in any one system could affect the function of the other. While there is a large body of evidence suggesting negative impact of human immunodeficiency virus type 1B (HIV-1B) infection on both immune and neuroendocrine systems, the consequence of HIV-1 clade C infection (with structural differences from HIV-1B virus) on these systems is not clearly understood.

METHODS

We carried out a 2-year longitudinal study on plasma profile of adrenocorticosteroids, including cortisol and DHEAS and their relationship with declining CD4+ cell counts in neurologically asymptomatic HIV-C infected individuals (N=84) in order to understand the impact of HIV-1 clade C infection on adrenocortical dysfunction and its relationship with the progressive decline in the cell mediated immunity.

RESULTS

We found that while plasma cortisol levels increased significantly at baseline in HIV-1C infected individuals compared to those in HIV-negative controls (HIV-1C+, 9.83+/-0.39 vs controls, 8.04+/-0.45; p<0.01), there was a significant decrease in DHEAS in HIV-1C+ individuals, compared to that in HIV-negative controls (81.02+/-4.9 vs 185.1+/-12.03, p<0.001), and consequently a significant increase in cortisol:DHEAS ratio in HIV-1 clade C infected persons (0.19+/-0.002 vs control 0.058+/-0.006; p<0.001). Moreover, in HIV-1C infected individuals, there was a strong positive correlation between DHEAS and CD4 cells (r=0.2; p<0.05), and a strong negative correlation between cortisol, as well as cortisol:DHEAS ratio and CD4 cells (r=-0.25; p<0.01; and r=-0.31; p<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest the persistent and progressive adrenocortical dysfunction during the asymptomatic phase of HIV infection, and that the evaluation of increase in plasma cortisol, a decrease in DHEAS, and an increase in cortisol:DHEAS ratio may serve as important biomarkers preceding the impending down regulation of CD4 cell counts and progressive decline in the immune system function in HIV-1C infection. Furthermore, these findings may indicate the dysregulation of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD) activity, the enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of cortisol and DHEA through the pregnenolone-progesterone pathway, and that it may offer an opportunity for drug discovery targeting re-regulation of 3beta-HSD activity for potential therapeutic application in HIV-1C infection.

The association of bone mineral density with HIV infection and antiretroviral treatment in women

BACKGROUND

Low bone mineral density (BMD) has been reported in HIV-infected women and men.

METHODS

We analysed cross-sectional BMD measured by regional dual X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN) in 152 HIV-negative and 274 HIV-positive (HIV+) women, adjusted for traditional low BMD risk factors.

RESULTS

BMD was significantly lower in protease inhibitor (PI) users than in all other groups, and highest in HIV-negative women. In multivariate analyses the prevalence of T-score < -1.0 was significantly higher in the HIV+ women naive to antiretroviral therapy (ART; odds ratio [OR] 4.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.61, 11.8) and the women receiving PI-containing HAART (OR 3.72, CI 1.43, 9.68), with a non-significant difference in non-PI HAART users (OR 2.43, CI 0.92, 6.45), compared with HIV-negative women. In pair-wise adjusted comparisons, BMD was lower in ART-naive than in HIV-negative women (1.22 versus 1.30 g/cm2 at LS; P = 0.004), in PI compared with non-PI HAART users (1.00 versus 1.05 g/cm2 at FN; P = 0.014) and with those ART-naive (1.00 versus 1.03 g/cm2 at FN; P = 0.146). Potential confounders, including duration of ART, prior treatment regimens and traditional risk factors for low BMD did not explain these differences. Longer lopinavir use was significantly correlated with lower BMD (r2 = -0.39, P = 0.024 and r2 = -0.46, P = 0.006 at LS and FN, respectively) and longer efavirenz use with higher BMD (r2 = +0.32, P = 0.004 at FN).

CONCLUSIONS

HIV infection was associated with lower BMD in women, independent of the traditional risk factors for low BMD. PI-containing HAART compared with non-PI-containing HAART, and longer lopinavir use, were both associated with lower BMD, and efavirenz use was associated with higher BMD.

Effects of testosterone supplementation on whole body and regional fat mass and distribution in human immunodeficiency virus-infected men with abdominal obesity

BACKGROUND

Whole body and abdominal obesity are associated with increased risk of diabetes mellitus and heart disease. The effects of testosterone therapy on whole body and visceral fat mass in HIV-infected men with abdominal obesity are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of testosterone therapy on intraabdominal fat mass and whole body fat distribution in HIV-infected men with abdominal obesity.

METHODS

IN this multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, 88 HIV-positive men with abdominal obesity (waist-to-hip ratio > 0.95 or mid-waist circumference > 100 cm) and total testosterone 125-400 ng/dl, or bioavailable testosterone less than 115 ng/dl, or free testosterone less than 50 pg/ml on stable antiretroviral regimen, and HIV RNA less than 10,000 copies per milliliter were randomized to receive 10 g testosterone gel or placebo daily for 24 wk. Fat mass and distribution were determined by abdominal computerized tomography and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry during wk 0, 12, and 24. We used an intention-to-treat approach and nonparametric statistical methods.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics were balanced between groups. In 75 subjects evaluated, median percent change from baseline to wk 24 in visceral fat did not differ significantly between groups (testosterone 0.3%, placebo 3.1%, P = 0.75). Total (testosterone -1.5%, placebo 4.3%, P = 0.04) and sc (testosterone-7.2%, placebo 8.1%, P < 0.001) abdominal fat mass decreased in testosterone-treated men, but increased in placebo group. Testosterone therapy was associated with significant decrease in whole body, trunk, and appendicular fat mass by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (all P < 0.001), whereas whole body and trunk fat increased significantly in the placebo group. The percent of individuals reporting a decrease in abdomen (P = 0.01), neck (P = 0.08), and breast size (P = 0.01) at wk 24 was significantly greater in testosterone-treated than placebo-treated men. Testosterone-treated men had greater increase in lean body mass than placebo (testosterone 1.3%, placebo -0.3, P = 0.02). Plasma insulin, fasting glucose, and total high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels did not change significantly. Testosterone therapy was well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

Testosterone therapy in HIV-positive men with abdominal obesity and low testosterone was associated with greater decrease in whole body, total, and sc abdominal fat mass and a greater increase in lean mass compared to placebo. However, changes in visceral fat mass were not significantly different between groups. Further studies are needed to determine testosterone effects on insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular risk.

Aging and HIV infection

With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in mid-1995, the prognosis for HIV-infected individuals has brightened dramatically. However, the conjunction of potent antiviral therapy and longer life expectancy may engender a variety of health risks that, heretofore, HIV specialists have not had to confront. The long-term effects of HIV infection itself and exposure to antiretroviral agents is unknown. Several aspects of aging, including psychiatric disease, neurocognitive impairment, and metabolic and hormonal disorders, may be influenced by chronic exposure to HIV and/or HIV therapeutics. In this paper, we discuss the health issues confronting HIV-infected older adults and areas for future research.

HIV infection and high-density lipoprotein: the effect of the disease vs the effect of treatment

HIV infection is commonly associated with hypoalphalipoproteinemia. It is not clear how much the HIV infection and/or treatment contribute to the changes in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Blood lipids of HIV-positive males were assessed in a retrospective study. The following groups of patients were studied: (1) untreated for at least 6 months; (2) treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) without protease inhibitor (PI); (3) treatment with a HAART regimen that includes a PI (HAART/PI); (4) treatment with HAART that includes low-dose ritonavir and a PI (HAART/PI/boost). Lipoprotein levels were compared with those of age-matched HIV-negative healthy subjects. Compared with the control group, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were 22%, 11%, 14%, and 11% lower for currently untreated HIV, HAART, HAART/PI, and HAART/PI/boost groups, respectively. Negative correlations were found among HDL-C level, peak and current viral load, and duration of the disease and the treatment. A positive correlation was found between HDL-C and current and nadir CD4 cell count and CD4 percentage. When patients were divided into subgroups based on duration of antiretroviral therapy, patients treated with HAART and HAART/PI for 3 to 6 years were significantly less likely to have high HDL-C levels compared with the control group and patients treated for 1 to 3 years. A 5-fold decrease in the proportion of subjects with high HDL-C and a 3-fold increase in those with low HDL-C were found in the group treated with HAART/PI/boost. These data suggest that hypoalphalipoproteinemia in patients with HIV is likely to be secondary to HIV infection itself.

HIV infection, drug use, and onset of natural menopause

OBJECTIVE

To study the relationship of HIV infection and drug use with the onset of natural menopause.

METHODS

Our analyses used the World Health Organization's definition of menopause (i.e., the date of the last menstrual period is confirmed after 12 months of amenorrhea) and baseline data from a prospective study. Semiannual interviews were conducted. Levels of HIV antibody and CD4+ cell counts were obtained. Menopause was identified at baseline or during 12 months of follow-up. Women ingesting reproductive hormones were excluded. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with menopause.

RESULTS

Of 571 women, 53% were HIV infected, and 52% had used heroin or cocaine in the previous 5 years. The median age was 43 years (interquartile range [IQR], 40-46 years); 48.9% of the women were black, 40.4% were Hispanic, and 10.7% were white. The median body mass index was 29.1 kg/m2, and 90.4% of participants were current or former cigarette smokers. Menopause was identified in 102 women: 62 HIV-infected women (median age, 46 years; interquartile range [IQR], 39-49 years) and 40 uninfected women (median age, 47 years; IQR, 44.5-48 years). Factors independently associated with menopause included HIV infection (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.075-2.795), drug use (adjusted OR, 2.633; 95% CI, 1.610-4.308), and physical activity (adjusted OR, 0.895; 95% CI, 0.844-0.950). Among HIV-infected women, factors independently associated with menopause included CD4+ cell counts of >500 cells/mm3 (adjusted OR, 0.191; 95% CI, 0.076-0.4848) and 200-500 cells/mm3 (adjusted OR, 0.356; 95% CI, 0.147-0.813).

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that HIV infection and immunosuppression are associated with an earlier age at the onset of menopause. Whether early onset of menopause in HIV-infected women increases their risk of osteoporosis and heart disease requires further study.

Anemia and HIV in the antiretroviral era: potential significance of testosterone

Anemia, the most common hematological disorder in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is associated with decreased quality of life and survival. Hypogonadism is prevalent in advanced HIV disease, however, low testosterone levels have not been customarily implicated in HIV-associated anemia. This study was undertaken to determine whether there is a relationship between testosterone levels and androgen use with anemia in HIV, and to characterize other clinical correlates of HIV-associated anemia. This was a cross-sectional, observational study of 200 HIV-positive patients at a public hospital HIV clinic from July 2000 to August 2001. A written questionnaire detailed previous and current medication use, opportunistic infections, and malignancies. Hematological and virological parameters, testosterone, and erythropoietin levels were measured; CD4(+) T lymphocyte count and viral load nadir and peak levels were obtained from the computerized medical record. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <13.5 g/dl in men and <11.6 g/dl in women. Twenty-four percent of women and 28% of men were anemic. Anemia was associated with lymphopenia (adjusted OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.36-11.80), high erythropoietin levels (adjusted OR 7.73, 95% CI 2.92-20.48), and low testosterone levels (adjusted OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.01-10.60). Anemia was negatively associated with female sex (adjusted OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.11-0.85), current antiretroviral therapy (adjusted OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.20-0.95), current androgen use (adjusted OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.05-0.84), and macrocytosis (adjusted OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.09-0.61). Low testosterone levels may have a positive association and supplemental androgens a negative association with anemia in HIV disease.