Background and purpose: Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is often found in the early stage of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and deteriorates with disease progression. CD4 lymphocyte count and opportunistic infection are the major indicators for the clinical staging of HIV infection. This study investigated the association of these indicators with LV dysfunction in the clinical course of HIV infection.
Methods: HIV-positive patients without cardiac manifestations consecutively admitted from May 1998 to April 1999 were enrolled in the study. Echocardiographic LV function evaluation and measurement of CD4 lymphocyte count were performed. Parameters for LV systolic and diastolic functions were compared between patients with CD4 lymphocyte count >or= 200/microL and those with CD4 < 200/microL. In patients with CD4 < 200/microL, LV function was further correlated with the presence or absence of opportunistic infections.
Results: Ninety eight HIV-positive patients including 52 with CD4 >or= 200/microL and 46 with CD4 < 200/microL were studied. One half of the 46 patients with CD4 < 200/microL had active opportunistic infections. We found that LV fractional shortening, ejection fraction, and isovolumic relaxation time were all significantly lower in the patients with CD4 < 200/microL compared with those with CD4 >or= 200/microL. Moreover, these LV systolic and diastolic dysfunctions were positively correlated with decreased CD4 lymphocyte count. In contrast, no difference was found in these parameters between patients with and without opportunistic infections. In multiple regression analysis, CD4 lymphocyte count was found to be the only factor for predicting the LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction.
Conclusions: Both LV systolic and diastolic function deteriorate as the CD4 lymphocyte count decreases in HIV infection. Opportunistic infection seems to have a limited role in the pathogenesis of LV dysfunction in advanced HIV infection.