Redox status alterations in Cuban HIV patients: The impact of aging and antiretroviral therapy
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Context: Pro-oxidant mechanisms play a critical role in the pathogenesis of HIV infection, and both antiretroviral therapy (ART) and aging have been implicated in exacerbating systemic oxidative stress. Aims: To characterize plasma redox status in HIV-infected Cuban patients receiving ART, with comparisons between individuals younger and older than 50 years of age, as well as with age- and sex-matched HIV-negative controls. Methods: A case–control study was conducted involving 120 participants divided into four groups: HIV-positive patients aged <50 and ≥50 years, and HIV-negative controls in the same age ranges. Biomarkers of oxidative stress, hematological and biochemical parameters, and markers of HIV progression were evaluated using standardized assays. Results: HIV-positive individuals exhibited significantly elevated markers of oxidative damage and altered antioxidant responses compared to controls (p < 0.05), with more pronounced imbalances observed in the ≥50 age group. Among HIV-positive participants over 50, 66% demonstrated simultaneous alterations across multiple redox biomarkers. No significant correlations were found between oxidative stress indicators and CD4⁺ T-cell counts, viral load, or other clinical parameters (p > 0.05), which remained within normal reference ranges across all groups. Conclusions: Aged HIV-infected patients under ART showed marked redox imbalance, suggesting reduced antioxidant capacity and increased oxidative damage. These findings support the inclusion of redox monitoring as a component of clinical assessment in older individuals living with HIV.
Authors: Lizette Gil-del-Valle, Daymé Hernández-Requejo, Jessica Rodríguez-Pérez, Yusimit Bermúdez-Alfonso, María C. Hernández-González-Abreu, Teresa Rosell-Guerra, Yaumara Ugarte-Pérez, Odalys Calderón-Fuentes, María C. Godines-López, Leidys García Vichot, Yelena Gayoso-Fernández, L. Jorge Pérez-Ávila, Alejandro Ardiles-Rivera, Gabino Garrido
Language: English
Subfield: Emergency Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412483287