Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have resulted in increased survival of the HIV-infected population; however, this gain in longevity is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although ART and traditional risk factors contribute to CVD in this population, heightened markers of immune activation, inflammation, and coagulation independently predict morbidity and mortality, suggesting that dysregulation of these systems plays a significant role in the increased risk of CVD. The investigators believe that platelet activation is an important driver in HIV-associated immune activation, inflammation, and coagulation, leading to an increased CVD pathophysiology and risk. Platelets initiate thrombus formation and also play a key role in vascular inflammation by releasing pro-inflammatory mediators and cross-talking with other relevant cell types including leukocytes. Researchers have described platelet hyperreactivity in chronic HIV infection. Importantly, the investigators demonstrated that one week of anti-platelet therapy (aspirin) decreased platelet activation and immune activation, with an improved trend in inflammation and immune parameters. The overall hypothesis is that platelet activation is a major driver of immune activation, inflammation, and thrombosis in ART-treated HIV infected patients. The purpose of the proposed proof-of-concept study is to understand the mechanism(s) by which anti-platelet therapy improves immune and inflammatory parameters in chronic HIV infection. To test this, the immune modulating and anti-inflammatory effects of 24 weeks of the anti-platelet drug aspirin as compared to the anti-platelet drug clopidogrel will be evaluated. Given their different mechanisms of action and inhibitory potency, the investigators can differentiate whether the potential benefits are mediated via inhibition of arachidonic acid (aspirin) or inhibition of ADP (clopidogrel) or by the antithrombotic activity. A secondary goal is to perform multidimensional assays of platelet activity and thrombogenicity alongside immune activation assays and careful assessments of traditional risk factors and medication regimens, to understand which parameters are highly associated with thrombogenicity.
This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 40 HIV-1 infected participants on stable ART randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to aspirin 81mg daily vs clopidogrel 75mg daily vs placebo for 24 weeks. A subset of patients in each arm will participate in a sub-study to evaluate thrombogenicity, to be performed prior to the first study treatment and at 24 weeks of study treatment. 10 HIV uninfected control subjects will participate the study to evaluate baseline characteristics. The primary endpoint is to determine the impact of aspirin as compared to clopidogrel on immune activation and inflammation in HIV infected, ART treated adults. This will be determined by measuring the change in the clinically relevant soluble marker of inflammation sCD14 over 24 weeks of study drug. Secondary objectives will be to measure safety and tolerability, to measure the effects of study drugs on important soluble markers of inflammation (sCD163, IL-6, d-dimer, sTNFRI and II), by measuring monocyte subsets (CD14, CD16, CD69), by measuring platelet activation by light transmission aggregometry, monocyte-platelet aggregates, and soluble CD40L, by measuring clot formation kinetics by thromboelastography, and in a subset of patients, by measuring thrombogenicity by Badimon Chamber and cholesterol uptake by monocytes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
27
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York, United States
Change in sCD14 From Baseline to Week 24
Soluble CD14 (sCD14) levels in blood. sCD14 is a nonspecific maker of monocyte activation.
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Number of Subjects With at Least One Grade 3 or Higher Sign/Symptom or Laboratory Abnormality
Safety as measured by a Summary of the number of subjects with at least one grade 3 or higher sign/symptom or laboratory abnormality. A grade 3 sign/symptom was defined as medically significant but not immediately life threatening.
Time frame: 24 weeks
Change in Classical Monocyte Subsets From Baseline to Week 24
The classical monocyte is characterized by high level expression of the CD14 cell surface receptor (CD14++ CD16- monocyte)
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Intermediate Monocyte Subsets From Baseline to Week 24.
The intermediate monocyte with high level expression of CD14 and low level expression of CD16 (CD14++CD16+ monocytes).
Time frame: Baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Non-classical Monocyte Subsets From Baseline to Week 24
The non-classical monocyte shows low level expression of CD14 and additional co-expression of the CD16 receptor (CD14+CD16++ monocyte).\[
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Monocyte Activation sCD163 From Baseline to Week 24
Soluble CD163 is a specific macrophage activation marker, associated with morphological disease grade. A high sCD163 indicates more disease.
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in IL-6 From Baseline to Week 24
Interleukin 6 gene encodes a cytokine that functions in inflammation and implicated in a variety of inflammatory-associated disease states.
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in D-dimer From Baseline to Week 24
D-Dimer level looks at coagulation of blood. D-dimers are not normally present in blood except when coagulation has occurred.
Time frame: Baseline and 24 weeks
Change in sTNFR I From Baseline to Week 24
Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR) serum concentration
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in sTNFR II From Baseline to Week 24
Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR) serum concentration
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in sCD40L From Baseline to Week 24
Soluble CD40-ligand levels
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Platelet Aggregometry in Response to ADP 20µM From Baseline to Week 24
Change in % platelet aggregation in response to stimulation by Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) from baseline to week 24
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Platelet Aggregometry in Response to Collagen 2µg/mL From Baseline to Week 24
Change in % platelet aggregation in response to stimulation by Collagen 2µg/mL from baseline to week 24
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Platelet Aggregometry in Response to Epi 5µM From Baseline to Week 24
Change in % platelet aggregation in response to stimulation by light transmission aggregometry as measured by epinephrine 5µM from baseline to week 24
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Spontaneous Platelet Aggregometry From Baseline to Week 24
Change in spontaneous % platelet from baseline to week 24. Spontaneous platelet aggregation?
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Platelet Aggregometry in Response to Arachidonic Acid 1500µM From Baseline to Week 24
Change in % platelet aggregation in response to stimulation by arachidonic acid 1500µM from baseline to week 24
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Monocyte Platelet Aggregates From Baseline to 24 Weeks
Change in % platelet monocyte aggregates from baseline to week 24
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Coagulation Time (CT) From Baseline to 24 Weeks
Clot formation kinetics, or coagulation time, is measured using thromboelastography. time to 2mm amplitude in seconds.
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Clot Formation Time (CFT) From Baseline to 24 Weeks
Clot formation time is measured using thromboelastography. time from 2 to 20 mm amplitude in seconds.
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Maximum Clot Firmness (MCF) From Baseline to 24 Weeks
Maximum Clot Firmness (MCF) is measured using thromboelastography. maximum ampliture in mm
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Alpha Angle From Baseline to 24 Weeks
Alpha angle is measured using thromboelastography, measured by a tangent to the clotting curve through the 2mm point
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Thrombus Formation (Low Shear) From Baseline to 24 Weeks
substudy - Change in thrombus formation by Badimon chamber (low shear) from baseline to 24 weeks. Thrombus formation on a blood vessel measured by immunohistochemistry staining of tissue cross sections. μ(2)/mm is the area of thrombus. The low shear chamber (inner lumen diameter 0.2 mm, Reynolds number 30, shear rate 500 s- 1) simulates flow conditions of a normal coronary artery.
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Thrombus Formation (High Shear) From Baseline to 24 Weeks
substudy - Change in thrombus formation by Badimon chamber (high shear) from baseline to 24 weeks. Thrombus formation on a blood vessel measured by immunohistochemistry staining of tissue cross sections. The high shear chambers (inner lumen diameter 0.1 mm, Reynolds number 60, shear rate 1690 s- 1) mimic the rheologic conditions of a moderately stenosed coronary artery.
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
Change in Cholesterol Uptake by Monocytes
substudy
Time frame: baseline and 24 weeks
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