Principal Investigator: Dr. Helene Cote
Primary Contact: Evelyn Maan, Research Program Manager, 604-875-2000 ext. 2463, emaan@cw.bc.ca
About the study: CARMA-2-CORE is studying the effects of HIV and anti-HIV medications on cellular aging among children and adults living with, or exposed to HIV. As people with HIV are living longer, there is increasing evidence that HIV may cause a type of “early aging”. CARMA-2-CORE is trying to better understand the impact of HIV and the anti-HIV medications on aging by looking at two markers of cellular aging: the length of DNA at the ends of chromosomes (“telomeres”) and the energy producing parts of the cell (“mitochondrial DNA”).
Why is this research important? As people with HIV are now living much longer, it is important to better understand the ways in which HIV or anti-HIV medications may contribute to the aging process. Additionally, there is a shortage of research in the field of HIV on the impact of anti-HIV medications in women and in children, making the CARMA-2-CORE study very important.
Study status: Recruiting
Who can participate:
CARMA-2-CORE is currently actively recruiting women and children living with or exposed to HIV. CARMA-2-CORE is particularly looking for women and girls who fit the following criteria:
| Age | Misc. |
| 12+ who have had their first menstrual period | Fasting for at least 12 hours |
| 19+ | Have a scheduled Bone Density at BC Women’s Hospital |
CARMA-2-CORE is also recruiting women and children who are not living with HIV, to act as study controls. CARMA-2-CORE is particularly looking for women who fit the following criteria:
| Ethnicity | Age |
| Aboriginal/Indigenous | 20-25
35-40 |
| African/Caribbean/Black | 15-60+ |
| Caucasian/White | 40-60+ |
Study results/publications:
Zanet D, Thorne A, Singer J, Maan E, Sattha B, Pick N, Murray M, Money D, Cote H. Shorter leukocyte telomere length in HIV-infected individuals is unrelated to antiretroviral treatment or time since HIV diagnosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2014 May;58(9):1322-32. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciu051. Epub 2014 Jan 22. CA (IF 9.416, ranked 2/70 among Infectious Disease journals; Citations 7, 10/2015).
Zanet, D.L., Thorne, A., Singer, J., Maan, E.J., Sattha, B., Le Campion, A., Soudeyns, H., Pick, N., Murray, M., Money D,M,, Côté, H.C. (2014). Association between short leukocyte telomere length and HIV infection in a cohort study: No evidence of a relationship with antiretroviral therapy. CIHR Emerging Team Grant on HIV Therapy and Aging: CARMA. Clin Infect Dis 58(9):1322-32. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciu051. Epub 2014 Jan 22.
Côté HC, Soudeyns H, Thorne A, Alimenti A, Lamarre V, Maan EJ, Sattha B, Singer J, Lapointe N, Money DM, Forbes J; CIHR Emerging Team in HIV therapy, aging (CARMA), Wong J, Bitnun A, Samson L, Brophy J, Burdge D, Pick N, van Schalkwyk J, Montaner J, Harris M, Janssen P. Leukocyte telomere length in HIV-infected and HIV-exposed uninfected children: shorter telomeres with uncontrolled HIV viremia. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e39266. Epub 2012 Jul 16
Co-Investigators: Dr. Neora Pick, Dr. Deborah Money, Dr. Melanie Murray, Dr. Ariane Alimenti.
Funded by: CIHR
Partners: Positive Women’s Network (PWN), Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMOS)
Consent forms: