Cardiac Manifestations in Patients with HIV Infection and their Correlation with CD4 Count: A Cross-Sectional Study from the Bundelkhand Region of Uttar Pradesh, India

Background

Cardiac involvement in HIV infection ranges from silent echocardiographic changes to overt heart failure and generally worsens with immunosuppression. No data exist on its pattern among people living with HIV in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. Aims and Objective: To describe cardiac manifestations in HIV-positive adults, compare them with HIV-negative controls and examine their relationship with CD4 count. Materials and Methods: In this hospital-based cross-sectional study, 100 HIV-positive adults and 100 age- and sex-matched HIV-negative controls at a tertiary hospital in Jhansi underwent clinical examination, electrocardiography, chest radiography and Doppler echocardiography. CD4 count, WHO stage and antiretroviral therapy (ART) status were recorded for HIV-positive patients. Groups were compared with the chi-square test, t-test, analysis of variance and correlation coefficients.