title: Assessment of vascular function in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The vascular function in HIV-infected persons under HAART and non-HIV-infected persons was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  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)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors: State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Juliana P
authors: JP
authors: Borges
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Tibiriçá
authors: Pedro Paulo S
authors: PP
authors: Soares
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Benedito
authors: Dirce B
authors: DB
authors: Lima
authors: Marília B
authors: MB
authors: Gomes
authors: Paulo T V
authors: PT
authors: Farinatti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D014664:Vasodilation