Cor pulmonale in children with human immunodeficiency virus infection

A cross-sectional echocardiographic study of 50 black Zimbabwean children with clinical human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was carried out. The median age was 9 months. Seventy per cent had chronic cough, 60% respiratory distress and 40% cyanosis. Sixty per cent had pericardial effusion and 48% right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and dilation. However, the clinical diagnosis of heart failure was difficult as most of these children (80%) had hepatomegaly. These findings suggest that respiratory disease plays a role in the causation of RVH in these children. As cardiac causes of RVH were absent, this was presumed to be due to cor pulmonale. HIV-infected children presenting with respiratory distress may have clinically unapparent cor pulmonale. Early and appropriate management may by beneficial.