title: Study of the cardiac alterations in HIV-infected children consequent to the antiretroviral therapy. Prospective study of 47 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Detect of cardiac alterations in children with AIDS and compare their evolution with the administration of only one anti-retroviral and the recent cases who received drugs in combination.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied 47 children in 3 groups: group 1, 20 cases treated only with zidovudine; group 2, 10 patients treated initially with zidovudine and later with a combination of drugs and in group 3, 17 patients, who receiced two or three since the beginning. In all patients it was done chest X-ray, EKG and echocardiography every 6 months and after death complete pathological study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 45 patients cases 26 (57%) were index cases. Malnutrition, diarrhea tachycardia, signs of congestive heart failure, pericardial effusion, abnormal ventricular repolarization and arrhythmias were more frequent in group 1. Echocardiographic abnormalities were present in 10 (50%) children of group 1. They were less frequent in the others two groups. In regard to the outcome in group 1, two patients had worsening of sings of cardiomyopaty and 4 died. Cardiac dysfunction in all cases of group 2 and 3 improved with the medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The children who received combination and their cardiac alterations had more favorable outcome than those who received only one drug.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitário Antônio Pedro-UFF, Brazil. gesmar@web4u.com.br
authors.forename: Gesmar Volga
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Herdy
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Vania Gloria
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Raquel P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Ivete Martins
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Hsu Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Tchou
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Bedros
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kurdian
authors.forename: Plínio de Assis
authors.initials: Pde A
authors.lastname: Júnior Tavares
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000635:transmission; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015215:Zidovudine