Effects of Sodium Restriction on Activation of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System and Immune Indices During HIV Infection.

BACKGROUND

 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients demonstrate increased activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). We evaluated changes in immune markers with physiological RAAS activation.

METHODS

 Immune activation markers were assessed serially in 18 HIV-infected and 7 non-HIV-infected subjects consuming an ad libitum diet followed by a standardized low-sodium diet.

RESULTS

 Levels of CCL-2 (P = .0004) and soluble CD163 (P = .0001) significantly increased with sodium restriction and RAAS activation, compared with levels in individuals with ad libitum sodium intake, among chronically treated HIV-infected subjects (mean duration of ART [±SEM], 11 ± 1 years), but not among non-HIV-infected subjects of similar age and sex.

CONCLUSIONS

 Dietary sodium restriction, which activates RAAS, uniquely stimulates critical indices of immune activation during HIV infection.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

 NCT01407237.

© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail [email protected].