Right ventricular function in treatment-naïve human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.

Background: Right ventricular dysfunction carries a poorer prognosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients. The objectives of this study were to ascertain the prevalence of right ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction, as well as its predictors, in antiretroviral therapy-naïve HIV-positive patients.

Methods: Participants in this cross-sectional, descriptive study comprised 60 HIV-positive patients and 60 HIV-negative controls. All participants had transthoracic echocardiography done to assess right ventricular systolic and diastolic function. The HIV-positive patients had their CD4 counts measured.

Results: The mean age of the study population was 34.63 ± 8.7 years versus that of the controls (34.45 ± 9.40 years) (p = 1.000). Right ventricular systolic dysfunction was found in 11.6% of the HIV-positive patients versus the controls (3.33%, p = 0.166) while right ventricular diastolic dysfunction was found in 15.0% of HIV-positive patients versus the controls (1.7%, p = 0.021). The CD4 count did not contribute to the frequency and degree of right ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction.

Conclusion: Right ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction was common in treatment-naïve HIV-infected individuals but the frequency and degree were not associated with the CD4 count or other measured parameters.