Effects of Internet Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Depressive Symptoms and Surrogates of Cardiovascular Risk in Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Pilot, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Background</jats:title> <jats:p>Depression is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in HIV. We hypothesized that reducing depressive symptoms would improve HIV-related cardiovascular risk.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>We conducted a single-center, randomized (1:1), controlled, parallel-group, assessor-blinded, pilot trial comparing Beating the Blues US™ (BtB) - an evidence-based, 8-session, internet cognitive behavioral therapy for depression - with usual care (UC) in HIV-positive participants receiving virologically-suppressive ART and with Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 scores ≥10. The primary endpoint was change in brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) at 12 weeks. Secondary endpoints were FMD change at 24 weeks and inflammation, coagulation and metabolic biomarker changes at 12 and 24 weeks.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>54 participants were randomized (27 in each arm). Mean reductions in PHQ-9 scores were significantly greater with BtB vs. UC at 12 weeks (-5.60 vs. -1.52; P=0.007) and 24 weeks (-6.00 vs. -1.38; P= 0.008); reductions in the Hopkins Symptom Checklist Depression Scale (SCL-20) scores were also significantly greater with BtB vs. UC at 24 weeks (-0.72 vs. -0.35; P=0.029). Changes in FMD between arms were not significantly different at 12 or 24 weeks. Significantly larger reductions in sCD14 and sCD163 with BtB vs. UC were found at 12 and 24 weeks, respectively.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>Compared to usual care, internet cognitive behavioral therapy using BtB resulted in greater improvements in depressive symptoms and monocyte activation markers but did not improve FMD in this pilot trial. These data support performing larger studies to determine the potential salutatory effects of behavioral therapies for depression on HIV-related inflammation.</jats:p> </jats:sec>