Assessment of vascular function in HIV-infected patients

The vascular function in HIV-infected persons under HAART and non-HIV-infected persons was investigated.

18 HIV-positive patients and 23 HIV-negative subjects (14 younger group and 9 older group) were evaluated for microvascular vasodilatation during postocclusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) and during prolonged local thermal hyperemia; overall microvascular flux increase induced by iontophoresis of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and large artery stiffness (SI(DVP)).

Cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) responses to ACh were lower in HIV patients compared to both HIV-negative groups (mean [SEM]) (HIV positive: 878.2 [99.5]; older HIV negative: 1129.3 [231.6]; younger HIV negative: 1366.5 [172.6] % baseline). Regarding SNP iontophoresis, HIV-positive and older HIV-negative groups showed lower CVC responses than younger HIV-negative group (HIV positive: 1043.0 [164.6]; older HIV-negative: 980.8 [108.3]; younger HIV-negative: 1757.3 [245.1] % baseline). Vasodilatation induced by thermal hyperemia (HIV positive: 1.63 [0.11]; older HIV negative: 1.48 [0.08]; younger HIV negative: 1.85 [0.27] perfusion units/mm Hg) and PORH (HIV positive: 0.374 [0.025]; older HIV negative: 0.326 [0.025]; younger HIV negative: 0.326 [0.037] PU/mm Hg) were similar between all groups. SIDVP was greater in HIV and older healthy groups than younger healthy group (HIV positive: 9.17 [0.42]; older HIV negative: 8.19 [0.43]; younger HIV negative: 6.42 [0.22] m/s).

HIV-infected patients under HAART exhibited slight but nonsignificant lower microvascular reactivity to pharmacological stimuli and increased arterial stiffness compared to age-matched HIV-negative subjects. Comparison of both HIV-positive and older HIV-negative groups with younger HIV-negative subjects suggests that age plays a major role in microvascular reactivity regardless the HIV-infection.