Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction Is Present Among Well-Treated Asymptomatic Persons With HIV and Similar to Those With Diabetes.

BACKGROUND

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) could be a potential underlying mechanism for myocardial disease in HIV.

METHODS

Comparisons of coronary flow reserve corrected for heart rate-blood pressure product (CFR) were made among people with HIV (PWH) with no known history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes mellitus, persons without HIV (PWOH), and persons with diabetes (PWDM) and no known history of CVD or HIV.

RESULTS

PWH (n = 39, 74% male, age 55 [7] years, body mass index [BMI] 32.3 (26.8-34.9) kg/m, duration of antiretroviral therapy 13 [5] years, CD4+ count 754 [598-961] cells/μL) were similar to PWOH (n = 69, 74% male, age 55 [8] years, BMI 32.2[25.6-36.5] kg/m) and PWDM (n = 63, 63% male, age 55 [8] years, BMI 31.5 [28.6-35.6] kg/m). CFR was different among groups: PWOH 2.76 (2.37-3.36), PWH 2.47 (1.92-2.93), and PWDM 2.31 (1.98-2.84); overall = .003. CFR was reduced comparing PWH to PWOH ( = .04) and PWDM to PWOH ( = .007) but did not differ when comparing PWH to PWDM ( = .98). A total 31% of PWH had CFR < 2.0, a critical cutoff for CMD, compared to 14% of PWOH and 27% with PWDM. A total 40% of women with HIV had a CFR < 2.0 compared to 6% of women without HIV ( = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

Subclinical CMD is present among chronically infected and well-treated, asymptomatic PWH who are immunologically controlled. This study demonstrates CFR is reduced in PWH compared to PWOH and comparable to PWDM, further highlighting that well-treated HIV infection is a CVD-risk enhancing factor for CMD similar to diabetes. NCT02740179.