Background: There have been several reports describing PAH and cor pulmonary in HIV infected patients like observed in patients with primary PAH.
Patients and methods: We retrospectively studied 14 patients with HIV infection and PH documented by Doppler echocardiography diagnosed during the last 9 years (1991-1999).
Results: The mean length of time from the onset of symptoms to the diagnosis was 4 months (r: 1 week-1 year). PAH was diagnosed as mild in 3 cases (23%), moderate in 7 (54%) and severe in 4 and the mean value of right ventricular systolic pressure was 57.96 mmHg. Ten patients were conventionally treated and in 5 cases progressive right sided heart failure was developed. In this group, carvedilol was prescribed with a favourable evolution in four of them. Three cases did not required treatment. All the patients were followed for 2 years (r: 1-8) and three deaths happened (22%).
Conclusions: The grade of PH in patients with HIV is moderate-severe, the time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis is very long but survival is not poor. Carvedilol could be an alternative therapy in patients who dose responses to another treatments and with progressive right heart failure.