Cardiac Abnormalities in HIV Infected Children Presenting to a Tertiary Level Teaching Hospital at New Delhi

Aims: The aim of our study was to study the prevalence of various cardiac abnormalities in HIV positive children.
Study Design: Cross sectional observational study.
Place of Study: Antiretroviral treatment clinic of Maulana Azad Medical College and associated Lok Nayak Hospital and Department of Cardiology at G.B.Pant Hospital ,New Delhi Duration of study : March 2009 to Mar 2010.
Methodology: Sixty perinatally acquired, HIV-positive children asymptomatic for cardiac disease in age group of 0-12 years were evaluated for cardiac abnormalities by echocardiography. All children were classified according to the WHO clinical staging for HIV-positive children and also divided into immunologic category as per the age-specific CD4-T lymphocyte count.
Results: Sixteen (26.6%) children had evidence of cardiac abnormalities on echocardiography. Twelve (20%) patients in WHO stage III and IV had significant abnormal echocardiographic findings. The major echocardiographic findings seen were left ventricular dilatation in 4 (6.7%) and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in 3 (5%) children.
Conclusions: A baseline echocardiographic study should be done in all patients with symptomatic HIV infection at first contact. Serial echocardiographies should be done to determine the evolution of cardiac disease in HIV infected children. Echocardiographic abnormalities are present even in HIV- infected children who are asymptomatic for cardiac dysfunction.