HIV-associated cardiomyopathy

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is recognized as an important cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. Myocarditis and myocardial infection with HIV-1 are the best-studied causes of cardiomyopathy in HIV disease. HIV-1 virions appear to infect myocardial cells in a patchy distribution with no direct association between the presence of the virus and myocyte dysfunction. Myocardial dendritic cells seem to play a significant pathogenetic role by activating multifunctional cytokines (i.e., tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase that contribute to progressive and late myocardial tissue damage. Coinfection with other viruses (usually, coxsackievirus B3 and cytomegalovirus) may also play an important etiopathogenetic role. The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly reduced the incidence of myocarditis in HIV-infected patients living in developed countries. By contrast, in developing countries, where the availability of HAART is scanty and greater is the pathogenetic role of nutritional factors,the incidence of HIV-associated myocarditis and cardiomyopathy is increasing with a high mortality rate for congestive heart failure. A clinical diagnosis of myocarditis or congestive heart failure may be difficult in an HIV-infected patient due to masking of symptoms by concomitant bronchopulmonary disease and/or wasting syndromes,especially in a more advanced stage of HIV disease. Immunomodulatory therapy (intravenous immunoglobulins) may be helpful in adults and children with HIV-associated myocarditis and declining left ventricular function. Data on the role of HAART in the treatment of HIV-associated myocarditis and cardiomyopathy are lacking.