title: Echocardiographic diagnoses in HIV-infected patients presenting with cardiac symptoms at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the pattern of echocardiographic diagnoses in HIV-infected patients presenting with cardiac symptoms at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients known to be HIV positive and with cardiac complaints were prospectively recruited from the Hospital's care and treatment centre as well as from the medical wards. Clinical assessment, laboratory tests and echocardiography were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 102 patients were recruited from September 2009 to April 2010. The patients' mean age was 42.4 years and 68.6% were women. The most common diagnosis was pericardial effusion present in 41.2% of the patients. The effusion was large in 5.9% and small in 35.3% of the patients. Hypertensive heart disease was diagnosed in 34.3%, while pulmonary hypertension and dilated cardiomyopathy were present in 12.7 and 9.8%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac abnormalities are common in HIV-infected patients, particularly when they present with symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. pchillo2000@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Pilly
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chillo
authors.forename: Myhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakari
authors.forename: Johnson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lwakatare
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013636:Tanzania; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult