Prevalence of Electrocardiogram Abnormalities in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Children

Abstract

HIV is an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality affecting more than 1.3 million children worldwide, one of the morbidity is cardiac abnormalities. Cardiovascular abnormalities are still subclinical during childhood then become symtomatic in adulthood. Electrocardiography is effective to detect cardiac diseases. This study aimed to assess ECG changes in HIV infected children and describe ECG abnormalities in HIV-infected children with or without HAART. From 70 subjects, we found the most common abnormality was sinus tachycardia in 17 patients (24.3%), sinus bradycardia 1 patient (1.4%) and 2 patients with sinus arrhythmia (2.9%). The mean QTc interval was 0.42 seconds (±0.07) and 14 patients (20%) had prolongation. The mean PR interval was 0.12 seconds (±0.02), 11 patients (15.7%) experienced prolongation of PR interval. The mean QRS duration was 0.06 seconds (±0.09). Left ventricular enlargement was present in 6 patients (8.6%), conduction disturbance which is characterized by Bundle branch block was found in 2 patients (2.9%) and ST changes was seen in 2 patients (2.9%). Other ECG abnormalities are characterized by right ventricle hyperthropy in 4 patients and a patient had T tall. The prevalence of cardiac abnormalities based on ECG examination from this study was 51.3%, consist of heart rhythm abnormality, prolonged PR interval, prolonged QTc interval, bundle branch block, ventricle hypertrophy and ST changes.