Left ventricular systolic dysfunction in pediatric HIV infection

Aim: To assess the prevalence and characteristics of left ventricular systolic dysfunction, evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography, in a population of children and young adults with HIV infection. Material and methods: We included 152 patients with HIV infection, aged between 3 and 25 years, 54% males; 94 patients had asymptomatic infection (group A) and 58 patients had category C infection (AIDS – group B). We performed transthoracic echocardiography and measured: left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameter (LVEDD, LVESD), area (LVEDA, LVESA) and volume (LVEDV, LVESV), left ventricular fractio…