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.

Control: 65.5±9.8 ms; P=0.04); rMSSD (HIV: 27.2±3.6 ms vs.

Control: 49.3±8.3 ms; P=0.02); pNN50 (HIV: 8.8±2.9% vs.

Control: 26.5±7.0%; P=0.02); LF (HIV: 502.4±80.5 ms2 vs.

Control: 1302.8±446.4 ms2; P=0.04); HF (HIV: 296.4 ± 62.3 ms2 vs.

Control: 986.3±280.6 ms2; P=0.01)] and post-exercise [SDNN (HIV: 32.3±3.5 ms vs.

Control: 55.8±5.9 ms; P=0.002); rMSSD (HIV: 17.4±3.1 ms vs.

Control: 36.6±4.6 ms; P=0.002); pNN50 (HIV: 2.9±1.2% vs.

Control: 14.7±3.4%; P=0.001); LF (HIV: 404.9±102.6 ms2 vs.

Control: 910.1±214.2 ms2; P=0.03); HF (HIV: 147.6 ± 40.1 ms vs.

Control: 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.