J. Pharm. Pharmacogn. Res., vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 1502-1510, Sep-Oct 2025.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56499/jppres25.2494_13.5.1502

Original Article

Redox status alterations in Cuban HIV patients: The impact of aging and antiretroviral therapy

[Alteraciones del estado redox en pacientes cubanos con VIH: Impacto de la terapia antirretroviral y el envejecimiento]

Lizette Gil-del-Valle^1*, Daymé Hernández-Requejo¹, Jessica Rodríguez-Pérez¹, Yusimit Bermúdez-Alfonso¹,  María C. Hernández-González-Abreu ¹, Teresa Rosell-Guerra¹, Yaumara Ugarte-Pérez¹, Odalys Calderón-Fuentes¹, María C. Godines-López¹,  Leidys García Vichot¹, Yelena Gayoso-Fernández¹, L. Jorge Pérez-Ávila¹, Alejandro Ardiles-Rivera², Gabino Garrido³

¹Instituto “Pedro Kourí” (IPK), La Habana, Cuba.

²Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Antofagasta, Chile.

³Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Angamos 061, Antofagasta, Chile.

*E-mail: lgil@ipk.sld.cu

Abstract

Context: Pro-oxidant mechanisms play a critical role in the pathogenesis of HIV infection, and both antiretroviral therapy (ART) and aging have been implicated in exacerbating systemic oxidative stress.

Aims: To characterize plasma redox status in HIV-infected Cuban patients receiving ART, with comparisons between individuals younger and older than 50 years of age, as well as with age- and sex-matched HIV-negative controls.

Methods: A case–control study was conducted involving 120 participants divided into four groups: HIV-positive patients aged <50 and ≥50 years, and HIV-negative controls in the same age ranges. Biomarkers of oxidative stress, hematological and biochemical parameters, and markers of HIV progression were evaluated using standardized assays.

Results: HIV-positive individuals exhibited significantly elevated markers of oxidative damage and altered antioxidant responses compared to controls (p < 0.05), with more pronounced imbalances observed in the ≥50 age group. Among HIV-positive participants over 50, 66% demonstrated simultaneous alterations across multiple redox biomarkers. No significant correlations were found between oxidative stress indicators and CD4⁺ T-cell counts, viral load, or other clinical parameters (p > 0.05), which remained within normal reference ranges across all groups.

Conclusions: Aged HIV-infected patients under ART showed marked redox imbalance, suggesting reduced antioxidant capacity and increased oxidative damage. These findings support the inclusion of redox monitoring as a component of clinical assessment in older individuals living with HIV.

Keywords: aging; antioxidant defense; antiretroviral therapy; HIV infection; oxidative stress; redox status.

Resumen

Contexto: Los mecanismos prooxidantes influyen de manera crítica en la patogénesis de la infección VIH, en la que el uso de los antirretrovirales y el envejecimiento han sido implicados exacerbando el estrés oxidativo sistémico.

Objetivos: Caracterizar el estado de oxidación reducción plasmático de pacientes cubanos VIH menores y mayores de 50 años tratados con antirretrovirales y compararlos con grupos controles relacionados en edad y sexo.

Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de casos y controles, con simple cegamiento por los analistas del laboratorio, con 120 personas distribuidas en cuatro grupos: pacientes VIH (casos-mayores y menores 50 años) e individuos seronegativos al VIH (grupo control-mayores y menores de 50 años). Se evaluaron biomarcadores de estrés oxidativo, hematológicos, hemoquímicos y de progresión de la infección.

Resultados: Los grupos VIH con respecto a los controles presentaron diferencias significativas en los índices de daño oxidativo y de respuesta antioxidante (p<0,05) en todos los parámetros redox. Los individuos VIH mayores de 50 años con respecto a los menores de 50 años presentaron diferencias significativas (p<0,05) en los parámetros redox. La variación simultánea de los indicadores redox se observó en el 66% de los individuos VIH mayores de 50 años. Sin correlación entre los biomarcadores de estrés oxidativo, carga viral, linfocitos T CD4+, hematológicos y hemoquímicos (p>0,05), estos últimos no mostraron diferencias entre grupos y estuvieron en el intervalo de referencia normal.

Conclusiones: Se evidenció menor capacidad antioxidante y daño oxidativo mayor en pacientes VIH mayores de 50 años. La evaluación y modulación del estado de oxidación reducción, debe ser valorada como estrategia de análisis integral para el seguimiento y tratamiento complementario de estos pacientes.

Palabras Clave: antirretrovirales; defensa antioxidante; edad; estado redox; estrés oxidativo; infección VIH; terapia antirretroviral.

 

https://jppres.com/jppres/pdf/vol13/jppres25.2494_13.5.1502.pdf

 

 

Citation Format: Gil del Valle L, Hernández Requejo D, Rodríguez Pérez J, Bermudez-Alfonso Y, Hernández Gonzalez-Abreu MC, Ugarte Y, Calderon O, Godinez MC, Garcia-Vichot L, Rosell Guerra T, Gayoso Fernández Y, Perez Ávila LJ, Ardiles-Rivera A, Garrido G (2025) Redox status alterations in Cuban HIV patients: The impact of aging and antiretroviral therapy. J Pharm Pharmacogn Res 13(5): 1502–1510. https://doi.org/10.56499/jppres25.2494_13.5.1502

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