[Cardiac lesions in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Apropos of an autopsy series of 25 cases]

Abstract

The pathologic study of the cardiac lesions in 25 persons who died of AIDS were studied from autopsies. Most of these patients were intravenous drug abusers (14 cases). Heart failure was symptomatic and lead to death in 4 cases. This study showed histological abnormalities in 76% of the cases. We observed 12 myocarditis. In 6 cases, pathogenes were found: Toxoplasma gondii (2), Cryptococcus neoformans (2), Candida (1), Aspergillus (1). A lymphocytic myocarditis was observed in 6 hearts. By immunohistochemical technique, we could distinguish 2 toxoplasmic myocarditis, and in 4 cases, solitary cysts in the myocardium without inflammation. The remaining lesions comprised respectively: 3 lymphocytic pericarditis, 2 marastic endocarditis and 1 dilated myocardiopathy.