title: Echocardiographic profile of ART naïve human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients in a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiac affection in human iummunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a recognized entity. Some form of heart disease is demonstrable at autopsy in approximately 40 percent of cases and by echocardiography in approximately 25 percent of patients with HIV. the studies indicate that cardiac involvements associated with HIV are mainly characterized by cardiomyopathy and pericardial disease. HIV infection is a global pandemic which is also rapidly spreading in india. We conducted the study to have some insight into the profile oflndian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross sectional hospital based study, we evaluated immunological (CD4 count) and echocardiographic status of 45 asymptomatic HIV seropositive patients who did not receive anti-retroviral therapy. The results were compared with age and sex matched controls. Statistical analysis was done using appropriate statistical methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most common cardiovascular abnormalities were diastolic dysfunction (18%) followed by pericardial effusion (13%) and systolic dysfunction (7%). When compared with controls the study population had statistically higher number of diastolic dysfunction (p value = 0.035) but not systolic dysfunction (p value = 0.61); none of the control population was having pericardial effusion. Low CD4 count was significantly associated with pericardial effusion (p value 0.048) but the association with diastolic dysfunction (p value = 0.46) or systolic dysfunction (p value = 0.84) was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiovascular complications are common among HIV infected patients in india, most common being diastolic dysfunction and pericardial effusion. Low CD4 counts are associated significantly with pericardial effusion. These abnormalities are likely to be found with greater frequency in clinical practice as management of opportunistic infections continues to improve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical College Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Santanu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guha
authors.forename: Arindam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pande
authors.forename: Soura
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mookerjee
authors.forename: Rabindra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Shantasil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pain
authors.forename: Rathindra Nath
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Karmakar
authors.forename: Siddhartha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mani
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Anirban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.lastname: Hema
authors.forename: Sandip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Deb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male