CARDIOVASCULAR AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION IN HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS AND ITS CORRELATION WITH CD4 CELL COUNT

Abstract

According to Global human immunodeciency virus and acquired immunodeciency disease syndrome statistics, 38.4 million(33.9 million-43.8 million) people live globally with HIV in 2021, and 1.5 million people became newly infected with HIV in 2021(1). As per India HIV estimation report 2020, national adult (15–49 years) HIV prevalence was estimated at 0.22% (0.17%–0.29%) in 2020, 0.23% (0.18%–0.31%) among males and 0.20% (0.15%– 0.26%) among females(2). HIV is a condition which can progressively affect almost all body organs and systems due to immune system failure. Infection with HIV is well known to cause peripheral neuropathy and other neurological complication thus affecting the quality of life(3). Autonomic nervous system involvement can affect heart rate, vasomotor tone, sexual function, gastrointestinal motility, urination, thermoregulation and production of tears and saliva. This can lead to diverse symptoms like postural syncope, impotence, sweating, diarrhea/constipation, dry eyes and mouth, urinary incontinence and changes in skin temperature. Abnormalities in cardiac autonomic function occur at all CD4 levels(4,5). The aim of our study is to assess autonomic dysfunction in HIV-positive patients and to show the correlation between decreasing CD4 + T cell counts with increasing severity of disease in the form of autonomic dysfunction.