CARDIOVASCULAR ABNORMALITIES IN HIV INFECTED PEDIATRIC POPULATION IN KERALA.

Cardiac abnormalities associated with HIV infection increase the risk of mortality and morbidity among patients. Literature on the prevalence of these abnormalities in HIV-infected children is negligible, particularly from India. This study was conducted to evaluate and describe the cardiac anomalies associated with HIV infection in pediatric population. This cross-sectional study was done at Pediatric HIV Clinic, Medical College, Thrissur, Kerala, for a period of one year. All 64 participants of the study underwent thorough clinical evaluation and echocardiography. Data collected was analyzed using appropriate statistical methods. The mean age of the participants was 9.62±3.19 years. On physical examination, the symptoms noted were pallor (26.6%), lymph node enlargement (51.6%), opportunistic infections (79.7%), and clubbing (9.4%). Pulmonary artery hypertension (9.4%) and valvular regurgitations (26.6%) were the major echocardiographic findings among the participants. No significant association was noted between history of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH; ?2=2.676, p=0.102). Cardiac anomalies were not prevalent or were not of poor prognosis in the pediatric population in this study. Most of the cardiac anomalies seem to be subclinical in children with HIVinfection. Main cardiac abnormalities noted were mild pulmonary hypertension and mild valvular regurgitations. None of the patients had cardiomyopathy. No association could be found between cardiac abnormalities and ART status.