Metabolic syndrome, soluble CD40L, and biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction in people living with HIV

Abstract

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association between soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L, a marker of platelet activation), soluble thrombomodulin, and syndecan‐1 (both well‐described markers of endothelial dysfunction) and metabolic syndrome in a large cohort of well‐treated people with HIV (PWH) and to elucidate their association with HIV‐specific variables. We included 862 PWH with undetectable viral replication. Our hypotheses were tested using uni‐ and multivariable logistic regression models a priori adjusted for well‐known confounders. While no association of soluble thrombomodulin and syndecan‐1 with MetS was found, high levels of sCD40L (aOR 1.54 [1.07–2.22]) were associated with excess risk of MetS. Given the previously described association between sCD40L, vascular inflammation and endothelial damage, the results presented in our study may suggest a potential role for sCD40L in the well‐known association between cardiometabolic comorbidity and HIV infection.