BackgroundWe present a small longitudinal study of how demographic factors and persistent burdens of HIV and cytomegalovirus (CMV) influence cardiovascular health in young adults beginning ART in an inner-city clinic in Jakarta, Indonesia.MethodsART-naïve HIV patients [n = 67; aged 31 (19 to 48) years] were enrolled in the JakCCANDO Project. Echocardiography and carotid Doppler ultrasonography were performed before ART (V0) and after 3, 6, and 12 months (V3–12). Antibodies reactive with CMV lysate or IE-1 protein were assessed at each timepoint and CMV DNA was identified at V0.ResultsMarkers of adverse cardiovascular prognosis [left ventricular mass index, ejection fraction and carotid intimal media thickness (cIMT)] were similar to healthy controls, but increased at V12. Internal diameters of the carotid arteries and systolic blood pressure correlated with HIV disease severity at V0, but cardiac parameters and cIMT did not. E/A ratios (left ventricular diastolic function) were lower in patients with CMV DNA at V0, but this effect waned by V6. Levels of antibody reactive with CMV IE-1 correlated inversely with CD4 T cell counts at V0, and levels at V6–V12 correlated directly with the right cIMT.ConclusionsOverall the severity of HIV disease and the response to ART have only subtle effects on cardiovascular health in this young Asian population. CMV replication before ART may have a transient effect on cardiac health, whilst antibody reactive with CMV IE-1 may mark a high persistent CMV burden with cumulative effects on the carotid artery.

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been linked with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in populations where some individuals are seronegative. However, effects of CMV are unclear in HIV patients who all have high levels of CMV antibodies. Other metrics of their CMV burden are needed. Amongst transplant recipients, CMV drives the expansion of NK cell populations expressing NKG2C and/or LIR1 and lacking FcRγ. Methods Indonesian HIV patients (n = 40) were tested before ART and after 6 months, with healthy local controls (n = 20). All patients had high CMV antibody titres. 52% started therapy with CMV DNA detectable by qPCR, providing a crude measure of CMV burden. Proportions of CD56Hi or CD56Lo NK cells expressing FcRγ, NKG2C or LIR1 were determined flow cytometrically. CVD was predicted using carotid intimal media thickness (cIMT). Values were correlated with levels of CMV antibodies on ART. Results Patients had low proportions of CD56Lo and more CD56Hi NK cells. However proportions of FcRγ− NK cells were lowest in patients with CMV DNA, and cIMT values related inversely with FcRγ− NK cells in these patients. Percentages of NKG2C+CD56Lo NK cells were similar in patients and controls, but rose in patients with CMV DNA. Proportions of NKG2C+ CD56Hi NK cells correlated with levels of CMV antibodies in CMV DNA-negative patients. Conclusions We show that the very high burdens of CMV in this population confound systems developed to study effects of CMV in other populations. FcRγ− NK cells may be depleted by very high CMV burdens, but NKG2C and antibody levels may be informative in patients on ART.