title: Autonomic modulation following exercise is impaired in HIV patients.
abstract: The autonomic modulation in HIV patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was investigated. The heart rate variability (HRV) was assessed in 13 HIV patients (43±2 years) and 10 healthy controls (31±5 years) at rest, during exercise, and recovery. All time (standard deviation of NN intervals, SDNN; root mean of squared sum of successive differences, rMSSD; relative number of pairs of adjacent RR intervals differing more than 50 ms, pNN50) and frequency (Low Frequency, LF; High Frequency, HF) HRV components were lower in HIV patients at rest [SDNN (HIV: 44.2±3.9 ms vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  65.5±9.8 ms; P=0.04); rMSSD (HIV: 27.2±3.6 ms vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  49.3±8.3 ms; P=0.02); pNN50 (HIV: 8.8±2.9% vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  26.5±7.0%; P=0.02); LF (HIV: 502.4±80.5 ms2 vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  1302.8±446.4 ms2; P=0.04); HF (HIV: 296.4 ± 62.3 ms2 vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  986.3±280.6 ms2; P=0.01)] and post-exercise [SDNN (HIV: 32.3±3.5 ms vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  55.8±5.9 ms; P=0.002); rMSSD (HIV: 17.4±3.1 ms vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  36.6±4.6 ms; P=0.002); pNN50 (HIV: 2.9±1.2% vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  14.7±3.4%; P=0.001); LF (HIV: 404.9±102.6 ms2 vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  910.1±214.2 ms2; P=0.03); HF (HIV: 147.6 ± 40.1 ms vs.
  
  
  METHODS
  554.5±135.0 ms2; P=0.004)]. No between-group differences were found during exercise (P>0.05 for all comparisons). In conclusion, HIV patients showed impaired autonomic modulation, with reduced parasympathetic activity at rest and during post-exercise recovery.
authors.affiliation: Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Laboratory of Cardiovascular Investigation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farinatti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged