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[Longitudinal echocardiographic study of HIV positive patients]
E Cottini1, M Raspagliesi, G Giacone
1Istituto di Clinica Medica II L. Condorellio, Università degli Studi, Catania.
Insights
This study monitored 39 HIV-positive individuals for cardiac complications using echocardiography. Findings indicate that cardiac issues, like left ventricular hypokinesis and pericardial effusion, are common and worsen with disease severity.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Imaging
Context:
- A cohort of 39 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals were studied between May 1992 and June 1996.
- At recruitment, all participants were asymptomatic (HIV+As).
- The study population comprised 60% drug addicts, 17% homosexuals, 8% hemophiliacs, and 15% heterosexuals, with an average age of 29 ± 5 years.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the spectrum of cardiac complications in HIV-positive individuals across different disease stages.
- To assess the utility of semi-annual echocardiographic examinations in detecting cardiac abnormalities.
Summary:
- The most prevalent cardiac complications observed were left ventricular hypokinesis (h-aLV) and pericardial effusion (PE).
- Less common findings included endocardial vegetations (EV), left ventricular dilatation (dLV), and tricuspid insufficiency (TI).
- The severity of cardiac damage and the number of affected cases correlated with the clinical severity of HIV infection.
Impact:
- Cardiac pathologies in HIV infection, especially in early stages, are often asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.
- Clinical and instrumental monitoring, including echocardiography, is crucial for early detection and management of cardiac complications in HIV patients.
- Findings underscore the importance of a multidisciplinary approach involving cardiology in the comprehensive care of HIV-infected individuals.
Background:
From May 1992 to June 1996 the authors have studied a group of 39 subjects with positive anti-HIV, with echo 2D color Doppler examination, to evaluate with semi-annual controls, the wide variety of cardiac complications in the various phases of clinical evolution of the illness.
Methods:
At the moment of recruiting, all the subjects with HIV infection were asymptomatic A1 (HIV + As). The patients whose average age was 29 +/- 5, were composed of 60% drug addicts, 17% homosexuals, 8% haemophiliacs and for the 15% heterosexual.
Results:
The most frequent cardiac complications are represented by hypokinesia of the left ventricle (h-aLV) and by pericardial effusion (PE); more rarely of endocardial vegetations (EV), dilatation of the left ventricle (dLV) and tricuspid insufficiency (TI). The entity of damage and the number of cases observed, are correlated with the grade of clinical severity of the illness.
Conclusions:
In accordance with the literature data, cardiac pathologies, particularly in the first phases of the illness, are asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic, making the clinical-instrumental observation of the patient useful also in cardiology.