¹⁸FDG PET-CT imaging detects arterial inflammation and early atherosclerosis in HIV-infected adults with cardiovascular disease risk factors

• Main Authors: Yarasheski Kevin E (Author), Laciny Erin (Author), Overton E (Author), Reeds Dominic N (Author), Harrod Michael (Author), Baldwin Steven (Author), Dávila-Román Victor G (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: BMC, 2012-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Persistent vascular inflammation has been implicated as an important cause for a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in HIV-infected adults. In several populations at high risk for CVD, vascular ¹⁸Fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸FDG) uptake quantified using 3D-positron emission-computed tomography (PET-CT) has been used as a molecular level biomarker for the presence of metabolically active proinflammatory macrophages in rupture-prone early atherosclerotic plaques. We hypothesized that ¹⁸FDG PET-CT imaging would detect arterial inflammation and early atherosclerosis in HIV-infected adults with modest CVD risk.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied 9 HIV-infected participants with fully suppressed HIV viremia on antiretroviral therapy (8 men, median age 52 yrs, median BMI 29 kg/m², median CD4 count 655 cells/μL, 33% current smokers) and 5 HIV-negative participants (4 men, median age 44 yrs, median BMI 25 kg/m², no current smokers). Mean Framingham Risk Scores were higher for HIV-infected persons (9% vs. 2%, p < 0.01). ¹⁸FDG (370 MBq) was administered intravenously. 3D-PET-CT images were obtained 3.5 hrs later. ¹⁸FDG uptake into both carotid arteries and the aorta was compared between the two groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Right and left carotid ¹⁸FDG uptake was greater (<it>P</it> < 0.03) in the HIV group (1.77 ±0.26, 1.33 ±0.09 target to background ratio (TBR)) than the control group (1.05 ± 0.10, 1.03 ± 0.05 TBR). ¹⁸FDG uptake in the aorta was greater in HIV (1.50 ±0.16 TBR) vs control group (1.24 ± 0.05 TBR), but did not reach statistical significance (<it>P</it> = 0.18).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Carotid artery ¹⁸FDG PET-CT imaging detected differences in vascular inflammation and early atherosclerosis between HIV-infected adults with CVD risk factors and healthy HIV-seronegative controls. These findings confirm the utility of this molecular level imaging approach for detecting and quantifying glucose uptake into inflammatory macrophages present in metabolically active, rupture-prone atherosclerotic plaques in HIV infected adults; a population with increased CVD risk.</p>

Item Description

10.1186/1476-9255-9-26
1476-9255