MR characterization of cardiac abnormalities in HIV+ individuals with increased BNP levels.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize cardiac abnormalities in HIV+ patients with increased serum B-type natiuretic peptide (BNP) by contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).


METHODS
Non-blinded prospective consecutive cohort evaluation.


METHODS
More than 400 HIV+ patients were screened for potential BNP alterations. 16 met the inclusion criteria of elevated BNP levels and 12 patients could finally be enrolled. MRI analysis comprised function, oedema and late enhancement sequences.


RESULTS
Patients exhibited a median serum BNP level of 249 pg/ml. Based on MRI, diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (n = 3), myocarditis (n = 2), chronic myocardial infarction (n = 2), dilated cardiomyopathy (n=1) and right ventricular failure (n = 1) was made.


CONCLUSIONS
Although no specific MR pattern was found, MR allowed characterization of the underlying cardiac pathologies in 82% of HIV+ patients with elevated BNP levels.
Breuckmann
F
F
Department of Cardiology, West German Heart Center, Germany.
Nassenstein
K
K
Kondratieva
J
J
Esser
S
S
Erbel
R
R
Potthoff
A
A
Brockmeyer
N H
NH
Neumann
T
T
Barkhausen
J
J
D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement
D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain