HIV-associated coronary artery disease

Cases, case series, and related articles on coronary artery disease in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) identified through a comprehensive literature search were examined for clinical characteristics and angiographic findings of HIV-associated coronary artery disease. Among 129 identified cases, 91% were males. The mean age was 42.3 +/-10.2 (SD) years (range, 23 to 77 years). The interval between the diagnosis of HIV infection and the diagnosis of coronary artery disease was 72 +/-60 (SD) months. Degree of immunosuppression was variable (CD4 mean, 313 +/-209 cells/mm(3); range, 6-1070 cells/mm(3)). There was no correlation between the CD4 cell count and the development and progression of coronary artery disease. Similarly, the development and progression of coronary artery disease was independent of the presence of HIV-related opportunistic infections. Acute myocardial infarction was the initial presentation in 77% of patients. In 76 patients, information on diseased vessels was available: 36 (47%) patients had 3-vessel disease, 14 (18%) patients had 2-vessel disease, and 26 patients (35%) had I-vessel disease. The left anterior descending artery was involved in 47 (62%) patients while the left circumflex and right coronary arteries were involved in 34 (45%) and 38 (50%) patients, respectively. Thirty-two (25%) patients underwent catheter-based or surgical revascularization. Data were not adequate to assess the prognosis following the acute coronary events or revascularization. The histologic characteristics unique to HIV-associated coronary arteriopathy were diffuse circumferential involvement of the vessel with an unusual proliferation of smooth muscle cells, mixed with abundant elastic fibers, resulting in endoluminal protrusions. Coronary artery disease was a late complication of AIDS.