MR characterization of cardiac abnormalities in HIV+ individuals with increased BNP levels

Objective: To characterize cardiac abnormalities in HIV+ patients with increased serum B-type natiuretic peptide (BNP) by contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Design: Non-blinded prospective consecutive cohort evaluation. Methods: More than 400 HIV+ patients were screened for potential BNP alterations. 16 met the inclusion criteria of elevated BNP levels and 12 patients could finally be enrolled. MRI analysis comprised function, oedema and late enhancement sequences. Results: Patients exhibited a median serum BNP level of 249 pg/ml. Based on MRI, diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (n = 3), myocarditis (n = 2), chronic myocardial infarction (n = 2), dilated cardiomyopathy (n=1) and right ventricular failure (n = 1) was made. Conclusions: Although no specific MR pattern was found, MR allowed characterization of the underlying cardiac pathologies in 82% of HIV+ patients with elevated BNP levels.