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Doppler tissue imaging unmasks right ventricular function abnormalities in HIV-infected patients
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Abstract
Background: We sought to investigate right ventricular (RV) function with Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients receiving highly-active antiretroviral treatment, without any heart-related symptoms.
Methods: We studied 38 asymptomatic HIV patients (aged 44.5 ± 9.2 years, 22 of them men) and 25 age-matched and sex-matched controls. All subjects underwent conventional and DTI estimation of left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function, measuring peak systolic and diastolic myocardial velocities at the mitral annulus (Sm, Em, Am). Two-dimensional (2-D) echocardiographic study of the right ventricle (RV) was performed from the four-chamber view, and RV end-diastolic dimensions were measured. DTI recordings from the RV free wall at the tricuspid annulus were used to determine systolic (SmRV) and diastolic function (EmRV and AmRV).
Results: HIV-infected patients compared to controls exhibited significantly lower peak systolic velocities at the septal-SmIVS (7.9 ± 1.3 vs 9.1 ± 1.4 cm/s, p = 0.002) and lateral mitral annulus - SmLAT (9.8 ± 1.7 vs 11.2 ± 1.3 cm/s, p = 0.025); no difference was observed regarding conventional 2-D examination of LV systolic and diastolic function and DTI-derived Em and Am. No significant difference occurred between HIV patients and controls regarding RV end-diastolic dimensions and pulmonary artery systolic pressure. However, SmRV (13.8 ± 1.6 vs 14.9 ± 2.2 cm/s, p = 0.040), EmRV (11.6 ± 3 vs 13.5 ± 2.6 cm/s, p = 0.028) and AmRV (10.9 ± 2.5 vs 13.8 ± 4 cm/s, p = 0.003) were significantly reduced in HIV patients as compared to controls.
Conclusions: DTI unmasks subtle and otherwise undetectable abnormalities of the longitudinal LV systolic function and both RV systolic and diastolic function, in asymptomatic HIV patients receiving highly-active antiretroviral treatment. (Cardiol J 2010; 17, 6: 587-593)
Abstract
Background: We sought to investigate right ventricular (RV) function with Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients receiving highly-active antiretroviral treatment, without any heart-related symptoms.
Methods: We studied 38 asymptomatic HIV patients (aged 44.5 ± 9.2 years, 22 of them men) and 25 age-matched and sex-matched controls. All subjects underwent conventional and DTI estimation of left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function, measuring peak systolic and diastolic myocardial velocities at the mitral annulus (Sm, Em, Am). Two-dimensional (2-D) echocardiographic study of the right ventricle (RV) was performed from the four-chamber view, and RV end-diastolic dimensions were measured. DTI recordings from the RV free wall at the tricuspid annulus were used to determine systolic (SmRV) and diastolic function (EmRV and AmRV).
Results: HIV-infected patients compared to controls exhibited significantly lower peak systolic velocities at the septal-SmIVS (7.9 ± 1.3 vs 9.1 ± 1.4 cm/s, p = 0.002) and lateral mitral annulus - SmLAT (9.8 ± 1.7 vs 11.2 ± 1.3 cm/s, p = 0.025); no difference was observed regarding conventional 2-D examination of LV systolic and diastolic function and DTI-derived Em and Am. No significant difference occurred between HIV patients and controls regarding RV end-diastolic dimensions and pulmonary artery systolic pressure. However, SmRV (13.8 ± 1.6 vs 14.9 ± 2.2 cm/s, p = 0.040), EmRV (11.6 ± 3 vs 13.5 ± 2.6 cm/s, p = 0.028) and AmRV (10.9 ± 2.5 vs 13.8 ± 4 cm/s, p = 0.003) were significantly reduced in HIV patients as compared to controls.
Conclusions: DTI unmasks subtle and otherwise undetectable abnormalities of the longitudinal LV systolic function and both RV systolic and diastolic function, in asymptomatic HIV patients receiving highly-active antiretroviral treatment. (Cardiol J 2010; 17, 6: 587-593)
Keywords
HIV; right ventricular function; Doppler tissue imaging


Title
Doppler tissue imaging unmasks right ventricular function abnormalities in HIV-infected patients
Journal
Issue
Pages
587-593
Published online
2010-12-08
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635
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958
Bibliographic record
Cardiol J 2010;17(6):587-593.
Keywords
HIV
right ventricular function
Doppler tissue imaging
Authors
Apostolos Karavidas
Dimitris Tsiachris
George Lazaros
George Xylomenos
Sophia Arapi
Nikolaos Potamitis
Vassiliki Matzaraki
John Caplanis
Evangelos Matsakas
Panos Gargalianos
Vlassis Pyrgakis
Christodoulos Stefanadis