Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
Quantification of Cerebral Vascular Architecture using Two-photon Microscopy in a Mouse Model of HIV-induced Neuroinflammation
Published on: January 12, 2016
Racial differences in central hemodynamic burden in men with HIV: preliminary findings
Kevin S Heffernan1, Christine A Wanke, Kimberly Dong
1Human Performance Laboratory, Syracuse University, Department of Exercise Science, Syracuse, New York, USA. ksheffer@syr.edu
Insights
African American men with HIV face higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. This study found increased central hemodynamic burden, not endothelial dysfunction, contributes to their elevated CVD risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Infectious Disease Research
- Health Disparities
Background:
- African Americans with HIV have a nearly 3-fold higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality compared to White individuals with HIV.
- Understanding racial differences in vascular function is crucial for addressing CVD disparities in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate racial disparities in novel vascular function and CVD risk measures among African American and White men living with HIV.
- To identify potential mechanisms underlying the increased CVD risk in African American men with HIV.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 21 African American men and 21 White men with HIV on stable antiretroviral therapy.
- Vascular function assessed using high-resolution ultrasound for brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD).
- Central hemodynamics measured via applanation tonometry, including pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (Alx), pulse pressure (PP) amplification, and left ventricular (LV) pressure effort.
Main Results:
- No significant racial differences were observed in brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) or aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral PWV).
- African American men with HIV exhibited significantly higher measures of central hemodynamic burden: increased carotid-radial PWV, elevated carotid augmentation index (Alx), and greater left ventricular (LV) pressure effort.
- Conversely, African American men with HIV showed lower pulse pressure (PP) amplification compared to their White counterparts.
Conclusions:
- Elevated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in African American men with HIV may be partly attributed to increased central hemodynamic burden.
- Endothelial dysfunction and increased aortic stiffness do not appear to be the primary drivers of this disparity.
- Findings highlight the importance of assessing central hemodynamic parameters in managing CVD risk in HIV-infected African American men.
Objectives:
African Americans infected with HIV are almost 3 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than their White HIV-infected counterparts. The purpose of this study was to examine racial differences in novel measures of vascular function and CVD risk in African American and White men infected with HIV.
Design:
Our study uses a cross-sectional approach.
Setting:
Participants were recruited from the nutrition/infectious disease clinic at a large metropolitan hospital.
Participants:
African American men (n=21) and White men (n=21) with HIV on stable anti-retroviral therapy were included in this study.
Main Outcome Measures:
High resolution ultrasound was used to assess brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD). Applanation tonometry was used to measure carotid-femoral and carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid augmentation index (Alx) and carotid-brachial pulse pressure (PP) amplification. Left ventricular (LV) pressure effort was derived from the contour of the central BP waveform.
Results:
There were no racial differences in brachial FMD (African American: 4.9 +/- 1.1 vs White: 5.4 +/- 1.0%; P>.05) or carotid-femoral PWV (African American: 8.9 +/- .6 vs White: 8.7 +/- .4 m/s; P>.05). African American men with HIV had significantly higher carotid-radial PWV (11.3 +/- .4 vs 9.8 +/- .3 m/s; P<.05), higher carotid Alx (6 +/- 3 vs -1 +/- 2%; P<.05), higher LV pressure effort (2262 +/- 369 vs 1030 +/- 140 dyne sec/cm2; P<.05) and lower PP amplification (1.10 +/- .03 vs 1.24 +/- .03; P<.05) compared to White men with HIV.
Conclusion:
Elevated CVD risk in African American men with HIV may be partially mediated by increased central hemodynamic burden and not endothelial dysfunction or increased aortic stiffness.
More Related Videos
08:29Symmetric Bihemispheric Postmortem Brain Cutting to Study Healthy and Pathological Brain Conditions in Humans
Published on: December 18, 2016
10:21Evaluation of Hydration Status by Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease Undergoing Exercise Stress Test
Published on: September 22, 2023