Porcelain Aorta in a Young Person Living with HIV Who Presented with Angina
Mircea Bajdechi1, Alexandru Scafa-Udriste2,3, Vlad Ploscaru3
1Doctoral School of Medicine, "Ovidius" University of Constanta, 900470 Constanta, Romania.
Insights
Individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) face elevated cardiovascular risks, including accelerated atherosclerosis and conditions like porcelain aorta. This case highlights the complex management of coronary syndrome in a young HIV-positive patient with these comorbidities.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Medicine
Background:
- People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exhibit increased cardiovascular risk due to traditional factors (smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, obesity) and HIV-specific factors (inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, antiretroviral therapy).
- HIV infection is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis, potentially doubling the incidence of coronary artery disease compared to HIV-negative individuals.
Observation:
- A young male smoker, living with HIV since childhood and lacking other cardiovascular risk factors, presented with myocardial ischemia.
- Diagnostic imaging revealed normal cardiac function but indicated ascending aorta ectasia, moderate aortic regurgitation, critical calcified left anterior descending artery stenosis, and extensive thoracic aorta calcification (porcelain aorta).
Findings:
- The case illustrates a rare presentation of porcelain aorta in a young HIV-positive individual.
- The patient experienced myocardial ischemia attributed to significant coronary artery calcification.
Implications:
- This case underscores the critical need for vigilant cardiovascular risk assessment and management in HIV-positive individuals, even in the absence of traditional risk factors.
- Effective management strategies for coronary syndrome in young HIV patients with porcelain aorta and aortic regurgitation are crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Abstract:
People living with human immunodeficiency virus have an increased cardiovascular risk due to higher prevalence of traditional risk factors, such as smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, or obesity, and particular risk factors, such as inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and antiretroviral therapy. Thus, people living with human immunodeficiency virus can develop accelerated atherosclerosis. The incidence of coronary artery disease in these patients may be twice as high compared with that of HIV-negative individuals with similar characteristics. "Porcelain aorta" is a term used to describe extensive circumferential calcification of the thoracic aorta. The pathophysiology of porcelain aorta is not fully understood. We present a case of a young man who was a smoker and living with HIV since childhood, without other traditional cardiovascular risk factors, who presented to the emergency room with a positive stress test for myocardial ischemia. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed normal regional and global myocardial wall motion, ascending aorta ectasia, and moderate aortic regurgitation. Coronary angiography showed a critical calcified proximal left anterior descending artery stenosis and an important calcification of the thoracic aorta. Therefore, the most important challenge was the management of coronary syndrome in a young person living with HIV, with associated porcelain aorta and aortic regurgitation.
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