E-Selectin and markers of HIV disease severity, inflammation and coagulation in HIV-infected treatment-naïve individuals

BACKGROUND: E-selectin has been shown to play a role in atherosclerosis and to be increased in HIV-infected individuals due to chronic immune activation. There is a paucity of studies on E-selectin in HIV-infected treatment-naïve individuals. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine whether E-selectin levels were increased in HIV-infected treatment-naïve individuals and whether these correlated with markers of disease severity, inflammation and coagulation to determine if this population is at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: E-selectin levels were determined in 114 HIV-infected treatment-naive and 66 HIV-negative individuals, compared between groups and correlated with markers of disease severity, inflammation and coagulation. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences (p<0.01) in levels of WCC, CD4(+) count, %CD38/8, albumin, IgG, hsCRP and D-dimer between groups and no statistically significant differences in E-selectin (p=0.84) and fibrinogen (p=0.65) levels. E-selectin correlated with age (p=0.02) and gender (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: E-selectin was a poor marker in this setting. There was no correlation with any of the markers of disease severity, inflammation and coagulation. E-selectin is most likely raised in an acute inflammatory setting, rather than chronic stage of HIV-infection. We recommend that other markers be utilized to identify patients at increased risk of CVD; as these were significantly increased untreated in individuals.