Endocarditis in the setting of HIV infection.

BACKGROUND

Cardiac complications are becoming more important in patients with HIV infection. The most common is infective endocarditis (IE) in patients who are intravenous drug addicts (IVDA). Other less common problems are pulmonary hypertension, cardiotoxicity, pericardial effusion, cardiac neoplasms, etc.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A literature review of published studies on IE was done and the personal experience of the authors is reflected.

RESULTS

The clinical pattern of IE has remained unchanged. It is usually due to Staphylococcus aureus and is more commonly localized to the right side of the heart. It is not clearly defined if HIV infection is responsible for the worst evolution in these patients and the treatment is the same as that used in HIV- subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

IE is responsible for 5-20% of hospital admissions and for 5-10% of total deaths in IVDA patients with HIV infection, but the clinical outcome of the patients depends on the affected valve and the culture germen rather than the HIV serostatus.