Impact of HIV infection on cardiac deformation.

AIM The aim of this study was to detect abnormalities in left ventricular myocardial function due to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection without established cardiovascular disease. METHODS An echocardiogram was performed in 50 asymptomatic HIV-infected patients (age 41 ± 6 years, 64% male) and in 20 healthy individuals. Conventional echocardiography and pulsed tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) were performed according to the guidelines. The strain rate of the basal segments was obtained with color tissue Doppler and used to evaluate systolic strain rate (SRS), early diastolic strain rate (SRE) and late diastolic strain rate (SRA). Longitudinal, radial and circumferential strain were assessed by 2D speckle tracking. RESULTS The mean duration of HIV infection was 10 ± 5 years, CD4 count was 579 ± 286 cells/mm³, 32% had detectable viral load, and 86% were under treatment. Of the HIV-infected patients, one had grade 1 diastolic dysfunction. The groups were not different except for E wave (HIV 0.72 ± 0.17 m/s vs. control 0.84 ± 0.16 m/s, p=0.01), longitudinal strain (-19.5 ± 1.9% vs. -21 ± 2%, p=0.005), SRS (-1.1 ± 0.28 s⁻¹ vs. -1.3 ± 0.28 s⁻¹, p=0.02) and SRE (1.8 ± 0.4 s⁻¹ vs. 2.2 ± 0.4 s⁻¹, p<0.001), but only SRS (p=0.03, 95% CI 0.036; 0.67) and SRE (p=0.001, 95% CI -0.599; -0.168) had independent value. CONCLUSION In an HIV-infected population without established cardiovascular disease, myocardial deformation abnormalities can be detected with strain and strain rate, revealing markers of myocardial injury.