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Background: Physical activity could increase the production of oxidative stress biomarkers, affecting the metabolism and excretion of antiretroviral drugs and, consequently, the clinical outcome. Nowadays, people living with HIV (PLWH) are mostly switching from triple to dual therapy, but no data are available in terms of physical functioning and oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate if some antioxidant biomarkers and physical functioning tests could be different according to triple or dual antiretroviral therapy. Methods: PLWH were evaluated at baseline (BL), while treated with three drugs, and six months after the switch to dual therapy. Physical functioning was quantified using validated tools. Mitochondrial and cytosol antioxidant molecules were evaluated through liquid chromatography. Results: Twenty-five patients were analyzed. A statistically significant difference between triple and dual therapy was found for mitochondrial glutathione, but not for physical tests. Evaluating differences between physically active and inactive individuals, the following statistically significant differences were suggested, considering triple therapy (mitochondrial n-formyl-methionine p = 0.022, triglycerides p = 0.023) and double therapy (mitochondrial glycine p = 0.035, cytosol glutamic acid p = 0.007, cytosol s-adenosylmethionine p = 0.021). Conclusions: For the first time, this study suggests possible differences in terms of antioxidant molecules and physical functioning in PLWH switching from triple to dual therapy.

An uncontrolled inflammatory response during SARS-CoV-2 infection has been highlighted in several studies. This seems to be due to pro-inflammatory cytokines whose production could be regulated by vitamin D, ROS production or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Several genetic studies are present in the literature concerning genetic influences on COVID-19 characteristics, but there are few data on oxidative stress, vitamin D, MAPK and inflammation-related factors, considering gender and age. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in these pathways, clarifying their impact in affecting COVID-19-related clinical features. Genetic polymorphisms were evaluated through real-time PCR. We prospectively enrolled 160 individuals: 139 patients were positive for SARS-CoV-2 detection. We detected different genetic variants able to affect the symptoms and oxygenation. Furthermore, two sub-analyses were performed considering gender and age, showing a different impact of polymorphisms according to these characteristics. This is the first study highlighting a possible contribution of genetic variants of these pathways in affecting COVID-19 clinical features. This may be relevant in order to clarify the COVID-19 etiopathogenesis and to understand the possible genetic contribution for further SARS infections.