Effect of the antioxidants selenium and beta-carotene on HIV-related endothelium dysfunction

patients infected with HIV are at increased risk of atherosclerosis, and ha ve evidence of endothelium dysfunction. The hypothesis was tested that HIV- related endothelium dysfunction is related to loss of antioxidants. This wa s done by the supplementation of the antioxidants selenium and beta-caroten e. We supplemented the diet of 10 HIV-seropositive subjects with 100 mu g s elenium daily, 11 subjects with 30 mg beta-carotene twice daily while 15 su bjects were not supplemented. Plasma was obtained at outset and after a yea r, and rested by ELISA for endothelial cell, platelet and inflammatory mark ers. The non-supplemented patients experienced increases in von Willebrand facto r and soluble thrombomodulin (both p < 0.01). There were no changes in any of the indices in the patients taking selenium or betacarotene. Increased von Willebrand factor and soluble thrombomodulin in the non-suppl emented patients imply increased damage to the endothelium over the year of the study. Therefore we interpret the lack of increase in the patients tak ing antioxidants as evidence of the protection of the endothelium by these agents.