How Lp(a) levels affect heart and artery disease risk in people with HIV
Lipoprotein (a) Modification of the Impact of HIV Infection on Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
This project looks at whether higher levels of a blood lipid called Lp(a) raise the chance of heart and artery disease for people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11166455 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use repeated heart and artery imaging and stored blood samples from long-running HIV cohorts to find the Lp(a) levels linked to more artery disease. They will compare results across racial groups because Lp(a) tends to be higher in Black people. The team will test two biological ideas for why Lp(a) might be harmful in HIV — one involving oxidized fats carried by Lp(a) and another involving inflammation signals like IL-6 — by studying patients' blood in the lab. Results are intended to help guide who might benefit from future treatments that lower Lp(a).
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults living with HIV, particularly those already enrolled in the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS) or receiving care at participating clinics, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those whose cardiovascular risk is driven mainly by unrelated causes may not directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors better predict and reduce heart disease risk in people living with HIV by guiding future Lp(a)-lowering therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked Lp(a) to heart disease in the general population, but applying these approaches specifically to people with HIV is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leucker, Thorsten M — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Leucker, Thorsten M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.