title: Left ventricular systolic function in Nigerian children infected with HIV/AIDS: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac complications contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality in children with HIV/AIDS. These rates have been under-reported in sub-Saharan African children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational, cross-sectional Doppler echocardiographic study of ventricular systolic function, performed at a tertiary clinic on children with HIV/AIDS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Left ventricular systolic dysfunction was present in 27.0% of the children with HIV infection and 81.2% of those with AIDS. The mean fractional shortening in the AIDS group (31.6 ± 9.5%) was significantly lower than in the HIV-infected group (35.3 ± 10.5%, p = 0.001). A significant correlation was found with CD4(+) cell count and age, and these were the best predictors of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in the stepwise multiple regression analysis (r = 0.396, p = 0.038; r = -0.212, p = 0.025, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Left ventricular systolic dysfunction is common in Nigerian children with HIV/AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria. arodiwenephrol@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ijeoma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arodiwe
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ikefuna
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Egbuna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Obidike
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ejikeme
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arodiwe
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Bennedict
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anisuba
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ngozi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ibeziako
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Sunday
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omokoidion
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Christy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okoroma
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*