Brachial and central blood pressure in HIV-infected subjects

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Nephrology

Background:

• HIV-infected individuals exhibit an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk profile.
• Factors contributing to CV risk include HIV infection itself, highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• The specific impact of these factors on arterial stiffness and blood pressure (BP) alterations in HIV patients requires further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate arterial stiffness and blood pressure parameters in HIV-positive subjects.
• To compare these parameters between HIV-positive individuals with and without HAART and CKD.
• To investigate the role of renal damage in the cardiovascular risk profile of HIV patients.

Main Methods:

• Enrolled 94 HIV-infected subjects without known CV risk factors and 37 control subjects.
• Measured brachial and central blood pressure (BP) using pulse wave analysis (PWA).
• Assessed arterial stiffness via pulse wave velocity (PWV) using SphygmoCor.

Main Results:

• HIV-positive subjects showed significantly higher central pulse pressure and Aix values compared to controls, even with similar age and BP.
• HIV-positive subjects with both HAART and CKD exhibited the highest central systolic pressure, pulse pressure, and Aix.
• Pulse wave velocity (PWV) did not significantly differ between groups when analyzed relative to HAART and CKD status.

Conclusions:

• The unfavorable CV risk profile in HIV infection is associated with increased central BP and arterial stiffness (Aix).
• Renal damage (CKD) appears to significantly worsen central BP and arterial stiffness in HIV-positive individuals.
• Renal damage plays a role in the early stages of cardiovascular complications in HIV infection.