title: Human immunodeficiency virus infection and left ventricular assist devices: a case series.
abstract: Historically, advanced heart failure therapies were considered inappropriate for patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). As HIV has become a chronic illness with the advent of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), cardiac transplantation has been used for selected HIV patients with end-stage heart failure. We present a case series describing the clinical outcomes with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) use in 4 patients with HIV. Three of the patients are alive: 1 after a successful bridge to transplant and the other 2 on continued device support at 18 and 13 months after implantation. No infectious complications occurred in 3 patients, and no opportunistic infections occurred in the fourth patient. De novo allosensitization did not occur in our patients after LVAD implantation. With the ongoing donor shortage, implantation of an LVAD in advanced heart failure patients with HIV with controlled viremia on HAART represents a viable option.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York 10032, USA. das9093@nyp.org
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uriel
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González-Costello
authors.forename: Mario C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Susan W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Restaino
authors.forename: Maryjane A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Farr
authors.forename: Hiroo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: Ulrich P
authors.initials: UP
authors.lastname: Jorde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome