The incidence of HIV-infected patients suffering cardiac complications is unknown. It is estimated that about six percent to seven percent of HIV-infected adult patients have clinically significant heart disease, and a larger proportion, possibly as high as 18 percent, have clinically silent abnormalities. The two most common forms of HIV-related symptomatic cardiac disease are cardiomyopathy and pericardial effusion associated with cardiac tamponade. Left ventricular dysfunction occurs in all age groups including children and appears to increase when circulating CD4 cell counts are severely depressed. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction has been reported in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients infected with HIV. The susceptibility of cells within the heart to infection from HIV is undefined, as are possible mechanisms of indirect effects of HIV on the cardiovascular system. Research focused on the etiology and pathophysiology of cardiac disease in these patients could lead to improved treatment strategies and prevention of the onset of cardiovascular disease.
The goal of this initiative is to foster fundamental research into the mechanisms responsible for the cardiovascular dysfunction and disease that has been seen in HIV+ patients. The studies will be conducted on cells, tissues or whole animals, including those that have been genetically altered. The purpose is to develop understanding of the role of virus, viral proteins, immune cells, cytokine production, growth factor expression and co-infection with other pathogens in the altered function and disease manifestations of the cardiovascular system.
This program supports six grants and will continue through 2002.
R01 HL59785-0101 - Sonia C. Flores - University of Colorado, Denver, CO
R01 HL59787-01 - Richard P. Shannon - Harvard Medical School, Southborough, MA
R01 HL59791-01 - John A. Bauer - The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
R01 HL59794-01 - Ronald R. Watson - University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
R01 HL59798-01 - William Lewis - University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
R01 HL59846-01 - Paul Jolicoeur - Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
These are newly funded grants.