HIV infection and arterial stiffness among older-adults taking antiretroviral therapy in rural Uganda.

HIV infection is associated with arterial stiffness, but no studies have assessed this relationship in sub-Saharan Africa. We enrolled 205 participants over 40 years old in Uganda: 105 on antiretroviral therapy for a median of 7 years, and a random sample of 100 age and sex-matched HIV-uninfected controls from the clinic catchment area. The prevalence of arterial stiffness (ankle brachial index  > 1.

Persistent Immune Activation and Carotid Atherosclerosis in HIV-Infected Ugandans Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and associated immune activation predict the risk of cardiovascular disease in resource-rich areas. Less is known about these relationships in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: Beginning in 2005, we enrolled subjects in southwestern Uganda into a cohort at the time of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation.