Arterial Stiffness in HIV Patients in a Semi Urban Area of South Africa

Introduction: HIV infected patients are said to have increased cardiovascular risk which may result in large arterial wall stiffening. Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) provides a measure of this. This study investigated the relationship between aortic pulse wave velocity and the following variables: anthropometry, age, blood pressure and lipid profile. Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional study comprising 169 participants whose PWV was assessed using the Sphygmocor Vx. Results: In total, 169 participants were examined. There were 63 HIV negatives, 54 HIV positives not on HAART and 52 HIV positives on HAART (62 males, and 107 females). In all the participants, HIV positives not on HAART, HIV positives on HAART, age ≥ 40 years, systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg, and hip circumference (HC) ≥ 97 cm were significantly and independently associated with elevated PWV ≥ 6.5 m/s (68.5%). In HIV positives not on HAART, only HC ≥ 97 cm was the most independent determinant of elevated PWV. In HIV positives on HAART, only age ≥ 40 years was the most independent determinant of elevated PWV. However, applying multiple linear regression analysis, and using continuous variables, and after adjusting for confounders (WC, TG, HC. and TC), increase in SBP (R2=29.6%), age (R2=9.2%), and decline of CD4 count (R2=10.2 % predicted significantly and independently increasing values of PWV in HIV positives on HAART. PWV t was highest in the HIV positives not on HAART (Treatment naive). Conclusion: Disproportionate rates of increased arterial stiffness, cardiometabolic risk, age, and low CD4 count are associated with HIV positives in these black South Africans.