Vascular Injury and repair in children with infection
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Vascular Injury and repair in children with infection
IRAS ID
205265
Contact name
Nigel Klein
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Kingston University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause or morbidity and mortality in the UK. Atherosclerosis is the process of stiffening, swelling and damage to blood vessel walls that occurs anywhere in the body starting at birth and continuing with age. It is considered an inflammatory disease with populations of white blood cells being key players in either its progression or protection. One of the initial steps in the progression of this disease is damage to the vessel lining called the endothelium. Endothelial health balances between the damage it receives and its capability of repair. One of the primary mechanisms by which atherosclerosis progresses is an infiltration of white blood cells into the endothelium.
As well as conditions of chronic inflammation, risks such as; smoking, body mass index, age and lack of exercise can promote damage. Thus children tend to have healthier blood vessels than those of an adult. However, in children with HIV, where there is a persistent low-level of inflammation, coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis is prevalent but the health of the endothelium in relation to the activity of potentially harmful white blood cells remains unknown.
This project aims to investigate diagnostic tools known as biomarkers in the development and progression of HIV that will assess the activity and type of white blood cells associated with atherosclerosis, in children with HIV and in age matched controls. In doing so we would also associate this with biomarkers in the blood and vascular phenotype that are indicative of endothelial health and inflammation.REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0192
Date of REC Opinion
28 Mar 2017
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion