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Background: The effects of HIV and antiretroviral therapy on cardiovascular system of perinatally infected children throughout their development are not fully understood. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in a retrospective cohort of perinatally HIV-infected patients and to investigate associations between echocardiographic and clinical data during their follow-up. Methods: Review of medical records and echocardiogram reports of 148 perinatally HIV-infected patients between January 1991 and December 2015. Results: Four hundred and eighty echocardiograms were analyzed and 46 (31%) patients showed cardiac abnormalities, frequently subclinical and transient. Nadir CD4 count was higher in patients with consistently normal echocardiogram: 263 (4–1480) versus 202 (5–1746) cells/μL, P = 0.021. Right ventricular (RV) dilation was detected in 18.9%, left ventricular (LV) dilation in 21.6%, septal hypertrophy in 12.2%, LV posterior wall hypertrophy in 6%, LV systolic dysfunction in 8% and pulmonary hypertension in 8.7% of patients. Opportunistic infections were associated with RV dilation [odds ratio (OR = 4.34; 1.78–10.53; P < 0.01)], pulmonary hypertension (OR = 8.78; 2.80–27.51; P < 0.01) and LV systolic dysfunction (OR = 5.38; 1.55–18.71; P < 0.01). Longer duration of highly active antiretroviral therapy was associated with reduced risk of LV dilation (OR = 0.91; 0.85–0.97; P < 0.01) and systolic dysfunction (OR = 0.71; 0.59–0.85; P < 0.01). Protease inhibitors use was associated with reduced risk of RV dilation (OR = 0.54; 0.30–0.97; P < 0.05), LV dilation (OR = 0.35; 0.21–0.60; P < 0.01) and LV systolic dysfunction (OR = 0.07; 0.02–0.31; P < 0.01). Higher CD4 count was associated with lower risk of LV systolic dysfunction (OR = 0.82; 0.69–0.98; P < 0.05). Conclusions: Echocardiograms identified cardiac abnormalities among children with perinatally acquired HIV infection, and data suggest that immunologic status and therapeutic strategies throughout development can influence cardiac disease burden in this population.

Background Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS‐c) is associated with severe cardiovascular impairment and eventually death. Pathophysiological mechanisms involved in myocardial injury were scarcely investigated, and cardiovascular outcomes are uncertain. Autopsy studies suggested that microvascular dysfunction may be relevant to LV impairment. Objective We aimed to evaluate segmental LV longitudinal strain by 2DST echocardiography and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) by 13 N‐ammonia PET‐CT, in six surviving MIS‐c patients. Methods Each patient generated 34 LV segments for combined 2DST and MRF analysis. MFR was considered abnormal when <2, borderline when between 2 and 2.5 and normal when >2.5. Results From July 2020 to February 2021, six patients were admitted with MIS‐c: three males, aged 9.3 (6.6–15.7) years. Time from admission to the follow‐up visit was 6.05 (2–10.3) months. Although all patients were asymptomatic and LV EF was ≥55%, 43/102 (42.1%) LV segments showed MFR <2.5. There was a modest positive correlation between segmental peak systolic longitudinal strain and MFR: r = .36, p = .03 for basal segments; r = .41, p = .022 for mid segments; r = .42, p = .021 for apical segments. Median peak systolic longitudinal strain was different among MRF categories: 18% (12%–24%) for abnormal, 18.5% (11%–35%) for borderline, and 21% (12%–32%) for normal MFR (p = .006). Conclusion We provided preliminary evidence that surviving MIS‐c patients may present subclinical impairment of myocardial microcirculation. Segmental cardiac strain assessment 2DST seems useful for MIS‐c cardiovascular follow‐up, given its good correlation with 13 N‐ammonia PET‐CT derived MFR.

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