Assessment of right ventricle function and pulmonary artery circulation by cine-MRI in patients with AIDS.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate right ventricle (RV) anatomy and performance and its relationships with pulmonary circulation in AIDS patients.


METHODS
We conducted a prospective blinded study by using cine-MRI, a well-accepted method to assess RV and pulmonary circulation.


METHODS
A university hospital.


METHODS
Ten healthy volunteers and 13 asymptomatic AIDS patients.


METHODS
RV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, RV ejection fraction (RVEF), pulmonary artery (PA) diameter, main pulmonary artery distensibility (MPAD), RV free wall diastolic thickness (RVWT), and RV mass were measured. The RVWT/left ventricular wall thickness index was calculated.


RESULTS
AIDS patients had significantly increased RV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and decreased RVEF (50 +/- 10 vs 59 +/- 6; p < 0.03). Four AIDS patients had RV wall motion abnormalities; 5 (38%) had an RVEF under 45%. RVWT, the RVWT/left ventricular wall thickness index, and PA diameter were significantly increased in AIDS patients. RV mass was increased in 54% of AIDS patients. MPAD was significantly lower in AIDS patients (18.8 +/- 15 vs 26 +/- 4; p < 0.01). A significant relationship was found between RV mass and MPAD (r = 0.76; p = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
RV function is frequently impaired in AIDS patients. Anatomic and functional abnormalities found in RV and PA parameters suggest a systolic overload on RV. Pulmonary circulation abnormalities may influence RV structure and function in AIDS patients.
Casalino
E
E
Infectious Disease Intensive Care Unit, Bichat-Claude Bernard University Hospital, Paris, France.
Laissy
J P
JP
Soyer
P
P
Bouvet
E
E
Vachon
F
F
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D002306:Cardiac Volume; D003971:Diastole; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013599:Systole; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right