title: Cardiac findings in children admitted to a hospital general ward in South Africa: a comparison of HIV-infected and uninfected children.
abstract: The aim of this prospective observational study was to determine the presence of cardiac abnormalities in HIV infected versus uninfected children who were admitted to a general paediatric ward during a two-month period. HIV status was determined by antibody and p24 antigen testing. Clinical information, echocardiography and electrocardiography (ECG) were performed for all children. There were 90 HIV-infected and 118 uninfected children. The median age was 9.6 and 11.8 months for infected and uninfected children, respectively. Baseline left ventricular dysfunction, defined as a shortening fraction < or = 25%, was found in 13 (17%) of the HIV-infected children compared to 5 (8%) uninfected children (p < 0.05). Left ventricular end-diastolic enlargement above the 98th percentile for age was found in 24% of the infected and 20% of uninfected children. Pericardial effusions, although common, were sub-clinical and not different in the groups. ECG findings and resting heart rates were also similar. Left ventricular dysfunction was the most significant cardiac abnormality present in hospitalised HIV-infected children. Other abnormalities, although common, were mostly asymptomatic and found with the same frequency in uninfected children. Further studies are indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Cardiology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Schoeman
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bester
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010362:Patients' Rooms; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013019:South Africa; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000453:epidemiology*