Stability of plasma indices of inflammation/coagulation and homeostasis after fatty and non-fatty meals in treated people with HIV

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between lipid levels in plasma and inflammatory indices is complex and fatty meals alter plasma inflammatory markers in people with diabetes. There is interest in monitoring the effects of interventions on plasma inflammatory and coagulation elements in people with HIV, as they have been linked to risk for morbid outcomes and HIV persistence. Understanding the effects of feeding and time of specimen acquisition is important for the correct scheduling of clinical sampling. METHODS: We examined the effects of feeding on plasma inflammatory, coagulation and homeostatic indices among 24 non-diabetic people with HIV, with controlled viraemia and on antiretroviral therapy after fasting and then 1, 3 and 6 hours after ingesting a fatty meal, and also approximately 1 week later after fasting and after an isocaloric non-fatty meal. Plasma levels of IL-6, IL-7, IP-10, sCD14, sCD163, sTNFrII and D-dimer were monitored by immunoassay. RESULTS: Fasting levels of all markers obtained approximately 1 week apart were significantly correlated (P<0.001). Mild alterations in plasma concentrations of inflammatory markers were observed after feeding but geometric means varied more than 10% from baseline for only IL-6 and IL-7. Meal type was differentially associated with changes in plasma levels for IL-7 only. Antiretroviral treatment regimen, body mass index and changes in plasma triglyceride levels were not linked to post-feeding changes in these biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: These plasma inflammatory, coagulation and homeostatic indices are relatively stable at fasting and are only minimally affected by feeding or time of day. These findings will aid in the monitoring of inflammatory and homeostatic indices that may contribute to control of HIV expression and its persistence.