Clinical study of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in HIV patients

Results In the present study, 16% of HIV +ve with the AIDS had abnormal autonomic dysfunction and 4% of HIV positive without AIDS had abnormal autonomic dysfunction. Reduced heart rate variability is the commonest manifestation of autonomic dysfunction noted in both HIV positive without AIDS and HIV positive with AIDS groups. Diastolic BP response to sustained handgrip has a limited role in discriminating autonomic function in HIV infected patients. There is no statistically significant correlation with the CD4 level and the presence of autonomic nervous system dysfunction in both the groups.