Reducing artery inflammation in people with HIV using eplerenone and statins
Official title: Reducing Arterial Inflammation using Eplerenone and Statins to Augment Cardiovascular Health in HIV
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11470337 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-center trial will test whether adding the drug eplerenone to standard statin therapy reduces artery inflammation and lowers heart disease risk in people with HIV who already receive ART and statins.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 8, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $773,096 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL189470-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11470337 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with HIV, aged 40 years or older, already on ART and statin therapy, with documented arterial inflammation.
✕Less likely to help
HIV patients not on ART or statins or without arterial inflammation may not benefit from this add-on approach.
What this research studies
People with HIV who are on ART and a statin and have existing artery inflammation may benefit from an additional anti-inflammatory treatment. The study will randomly assign participants to receive eplerenone or a placebo alongside their current therapy, in a double-blind manner, to see if inflammation and cardiovascular risk improve. Researchers will monitor arterial inflammation using imaging and other markers, while tracking safety and any changes in heart-health outcomes over time. This trial builds on prior HIV and cardiovascular research to address residual inflammation that statins alone may not fully control.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could further reduce heart-disease risk for people with HIV by lowering vascular inflammation beyond what statins achieve.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research showed statins lower ASCVD risk in HIV but left residual inflammation; adding an anti-inflammatory strategy is a logical next step, with mixed prior results in related settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Srinivasa, Suman — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Srinivasa, Suman
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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.