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.
Bannerman
C
C
Department of Paediatrics, University of Zimbabwe, Avondale, Harare.
Chitsike
I
I
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D017380:Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011660:Pulmonary Heart Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology