Depressive symptom clusters and biomarkers of monocyte activation, inflammation, and coagulation in people with HIV...

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Neuroscience
• Cardiovascular Disease Research

Background:

• People with HIV (PWH) on suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) with depression exhibit distinct biological profiles.
• Understanding depression's impact on inflammation, monocyte activation, and coagulation is crucial for managing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in PWH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the differential associations between somatic and cognitive/affective depressive symptom clusters and biomarkers of monocyte activation, systemic inflammation, and coagulation in PWH with depression.
• To explore how these symptom clusters relate to biological mechanisms underlying CVD risk in the context of HIV infection.

Main Methods:

• Utilized baseline data from a randomized controlled trial involving PWH on suppressive ART with depression.
• Employed linear regression models to assess associations between individual and combined depressive symptom clusters and specific biomarkers (sCD14, sCD163, IL-6, hsCRP, D-dimer, fibrinogen).

Main Results:

• No significant associations were found when examining individual depressive symptom clusters.
• Simultaneous analysis revealed that the somatic cluster positively correlated with inflammation biomarkers.
• The cognitive/affective cluster showed negative associations with inflammation and coagulation biomarkers, suggesting a potential suppressive effect.

Conclusions:

• Depressive symptom clusters exhibit differential associations with biological mechanisms relevant to CVD in PWH.
• Somatic symptoms may exacerbate inflammation, while cognitive/affective symptoms might mitigate inflammation and coagulation.
• Identifying these distinct associations can help stratify CVD risk and guide targeted prevention strategies for PWH with depression.