title: Evaluation of Echocardiographic Abnormalities in HIV Positive Patients Treated with Antiretroviral Medications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Echocardiography is a reliable means for the diagnosis of functional and valvular diseases of the heart in HIV positive and HIV negative patients. The current study was to evaluate echocardiographic abnormalities in HIV positive patients under an antiretroviral therapy (ART) program in Tehran, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted among 231 HIV-1 positive patients under ART. All HIV positive patients including 150 men (65%) and 81 women (35%) (mean age of 41 years) were assessed by trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) in Imam Khomeini Hospital, over the period from 2013 to 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean CD4 count was 408 cell/μl, and the average left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 59.5%. There was an inverse correlation between age and LVEF level. Nevirapine users showed a significantly higher LVEF than non-users. Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) was diagnosed in 5.6% along with the increase in age, while left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) was reported in 19.5% of patients associated with age and smoking. Here, the mean systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP) was only 20 mmHg and just four percent of the patients suffered pulmonary hypertension. Almost 44% had a heart valve disorder among which mitral valve prolapse is the most common problem. Pericardial effusion was not found in any patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that heart disorders with no suggestive symptoms in HIV positive patients, and mainly older adults who have traditional risk factors for heart diseases, should be seriously considered by health providers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Amir Alam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors.forename: Sina M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Badie
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasoulinejad
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Kochak
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed A S
authors.initials: SAS
authors.lastname: Alinaghi
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed A D
authors.initials: SAD
authors.lastname: Manshadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh J A
authors.initials: FJA
authors.lastname: Abad
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Flinders University, Flinders. Australia.
authors.forename: Banafsheh M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Badie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents
keywords: AIDS; Echocardiography; HAART; HIV; Heart Failure; PAP