Assessment of right ventricle function and pulmonary artery circulation by cine-MRI in patients with AIDS

Objective: To evaluate light ventricle (RV) anatomy and performance and its relationships with pulmonary circulation in AIDS patients, Design: We conducted a prospective blinded study by using cine-MRI, a well-accepted method to assess RV and pulmonary circulation, Setting: A university hospital, Participants: Ten healthy volunteers and 13 asymptomatic AIDS patients, Measurements: RV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, RV ejection fraction (RVEF), pulmonary artery (PA) diameter, main pulmonary artery distensibility (MPAD), RV free wall diastolic thickness (RVWT), and RV mass were measured, The RVWT/left ventricular wall thickness index was calculated, Results: AIDS patients had significantly increased RV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and decreased RVEF (50 +/- 10 vs 59 +/- 6; p < 0.03), Four AIDS patients had RV wall motion abnormalities; 5 (38%) had an RVEF under 45%, RVWT, the RVWT/left ventricular wall thickness index, and PA diameter were significantly increased in AIDS patients, RV mass mas increased in 54% of AIDS patients, MPAD was significantly lower in AIDS patients (18.8 +/- 15 vs 26 +/- 4; p < 0.01), A significant relationship was found between RV mass and MPAD (r = 0.76; p = 0.02), Conclusion: RV function is frequently impaired in AIDS patients, Anatomic and functional abnormalities found in RV and PA parameters suggest a systolic overload on RV. Pulmonary circulation abnormalities may influence RV structure and function in AIDS patients.