BACKGROUND:

Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have increased risk of cardiovascular events. It is unknown whether T cell activation and senescence, 2 immunologic sequelae of HIV infection, are associated with vascular disease among HIV-infected adults.

METHODS:

T cell phenotyping and carotid ultrasound were assessed among 115 HIV-infected women and 43 age- and race/ethnicity-matched HIV-uninfected controls participating in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Multivariate analyses were used to assess the association of T cell activation (CD38(+)HLA-DR(+)) and senescence (CD28(-)CD57(+)) with subclinical carotid artery disease.

RESULTS:

Compared with HIV-uninfected women, frequencies of CD4(+)CD38(+)HLA-DR(+), CD8(+)CD38(+)HLA-DR(+), and CD8(+)CD28(-)CD57(+) T cells were higher among HIV-infected women, including those who achieved viral suppression while receiving antiretroviral treatment. Among HIV-infected women, adjusted for age, antiretroviral medications, and viral load, higher frequencies of activated CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and immunosenescent CD8(+) T cells were associated with increased prevalence of carotid artery lesions (prevalence ratio(lesions) associated with activated CD4(+) T cells, 1.6 per SD [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.1-2.2]; P = .02; prevalence ratio(lesions) associated with activated CD8(+) T cells, 2.0 per SD [95% CI, 1.2-3.3]; P < .01; prevalence ratio(lesions) associated with senescent CD8(+) T cells, 1.9 per SD [95% CI, 1.1-3.1]; P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS:

HIV-associated T cell changes are associated with subclinical carotid artery abnormalities, which may be observed even among those patients achieving viral suppression with effective antiretroviral therapy.