The primary endpoints of the present substudy were changes from baseline in plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte

chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) in selleck chemicals llc the two arms at months 12, 24 and 36. Secondary endpoints were correlations of these biomarkers with viral load and plasma lipids. At baseline and at months 12, 24 and 36, venous blood samples were obtained after an overnight fast and frozen at −70°C until analysis. IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, sVCAM-1, sCD40L, sP-selectin and t-PA levels were measured in cell supernatants by a multiplex cytometric bead-based assay (Human Cardiovascular MAPK Inhibitor Library 7plex FlowCytomix Multiplex; Bender Medsystems GmbH, Vienna, Austria), using an EPICS-XL-MCL

flow cytometer (Beckman Coulter, IZASA, Barcelona, Spain), following the manufacturer’s protocol. In brief, 25 μL of the 7 mixed beads and biotin-conjugate mixture was mixed with 25 μL of the standards or samples provided and incubated in the dark for 2 h at room temperature. Samples were then washed, 25 μL of streptavidin-phycoerythrin (PE) solution was added, and incubation was carried out for a further 1 h. After the second incubation, samples were washed and resuspended in 300 μL of assay buffer. The EPICS-XL-MCL flow cytometer was calibrated with set-up beads and 300 events were acquired for each factor and each sample, respectively. Individual analyte concentrations were indicated by their fluorescence intensities (FL-2) and

computed with the respective standard reference curve and FlowCytomixPro 2.2 software. Standard curves were determined for each biomarker from a range of 27 pg/mL to 40 000 ng/mL. According to the manufacturer, the detection limits of the assay are 0.9 pg/mL for IL-6, 7.9 pg/mL for IL-8, 53.0 ng/mL for sP-selectin, 8.0 pg/mL for t-PA, 11.0 pg/mL for MCP-1, 0.4 ng/mL for sVCAM-1, and 50.0 pg/mL for sCD40L. Total-c, HDL-c and triglycerides were measured using standard methods. LDL-c was calculated using the Friedewald equation. Peripheral blood CD4 T-cell count was determined by flow cytometry and plasma viral load by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Abbott RealTime HIV-1; Parvulin Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL). Quantitative variables are expressed as the median and interquartile range (IQR). Before the statistical analysis, the normality of distributions and homogeneity of variances were tested. sP-selectin and sCD40L were log10-transformed because of high distribution variability. The two-sample t-test or Mann–Whitney U-test was used to compare continuous variables between arms. Qualitative variables were compared using the χ2 or Fisher exact test. Baseline and follow-up values in each arm were compared with the paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed rank test.