Study of vascular reactivity in HIV patients whether or not receiving protease inhibitor.
BACKGROUND
A great number of HIV-infected patients using antiretroviral drugs develop endothelial dysfunction and atherothrombosis, which lead to a high medical and social burden. Thus, it is important to identify pathophysiological mechanisms involved with the endothelial function in these patients, so that early intervention can be made to avoid disease progression.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate endothelial function using endothelium-dependent and independent vasodilation in HIV-positive patients and in a control group.


METHODS
A total of 27 HIV-positive patients and 16 controls were evaluated. Endothelium-dependent (reactive hyperemia) and independent (SL nitroglycerine) vasodilation of the brachial artery was used to evaluate the endothelial function.


RESULTS
HIV-positive patients receiving protease inhibitors (PI) showed significantly lower endothelium-independent vasodilation than the HIV-negative (p=0.020) and HIV-positive without PI (p=0.034) subgroups. The change in brachial artery diameter during active hyperemia was not statistically significant in any subgroup. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that only PI was associated with the relative delta of brachial reactivity to vasodilator in HIV-positive patients at 60s and 90s.


CONCLUSIONS
HIV-positive patients receiving PI presented endothelium-independent dysfunction when compared to HIV-positive patients not receiving PI and to the control group.
Teixeira
Hamilton Nenrod Pereira
HN
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brasil. hnpteixeira@yahoo.com.br
Mesquita
Evandro Tinoco
ET
Ribeiro
Mário Luiz
ML
Bazin
Anna Ricordi
AR
Mesquita
Cláudio Tinoco
CT
Teixeira
Manuel Pereira
MP
Pellegrini
Rafael da Cunha
Rda C
Nóbrega
Antonio Claudio Lucas da
AC
D000328:Adult; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D055815:Young Adult
D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin