title: Prevalent myocarditis at necropsy in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
abstract: The prevalence of myocarditis was retrospectively evaluated in 71 consecutive necropsy patients who died from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) between 1982 and 1986. Myocarditis was found in 37 cases (52%). Biventricular dilation at necropsy was present in seven cases (10%) and was accompanied by myocarditis in each case; fatal congestive heart failure occurred in four of these seven cases. Although viral, protozoan, bacterial, fungal and mycobacterial opportunistic pathogens were present in myocardial sections of 7 of 37 myocarditis cases, the etiology of myocarditis in the majority of these patients with AIDS remained idiopathic. Thus, myocarditis is a frequent finding at necropsy in patients with AIDS and may contribute to the development of biventricular dilation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biologics Research and Review, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Virmani
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Cunnion
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robinowitz
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Macher
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Punja
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Villaflor
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Parrillo
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies