title: Cardiac dysfunction in patients seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: To confirm the presence of cardiac dysfunction in a group of patients seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus with either dyspnea on exertion or a reduced anaerobic threshold, 9 patients with no history of opportunistic infection underwent exercise right-sided heart catheterization. When compared with 13 control patients previously exercised in the same manner, the patients showed elevated exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (14.6 +/- 3.3 mm of mercury versus 9.9 +/- 3.3 mm of mercury; P less than .005) and right atrial pressure (10.1 +/- 2.1 mm of mercury versus 4.7 +/- 3.2 mm of mercury; P less than .001) at a similar exercise oxygen consumption and cardiac index. Of the 9 patients, 8 had at least 1 catheterization value outside the 95% confidence limits for the control group and 4 patients had multiple abnormalities. Values for blood CD4 lymphocytes were 0.2 x 10(9) per liter or more for 7 of the 9. One patient underwent endomyocardial biopsy with findings consistent with a cardiomyopathy. We conclude that cardiac disease may occur at any immunologic stage of human immunodeficiency virus infection. These observations suggest an effect of this disease on the heart.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Disease/Critical Care Service, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234-6200.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Slife
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Anders
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Blanton
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: McAllister
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Latham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology