Cardiovascular Effects of Antiretroviral Therapy in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Patients: A Strain Echocardiography Study

Year 2026, Volume: 16 Issue: 1, 68 - 73, 19.03.2026

Yusuf Demir , Ahmet Anıl Başkurt , Mehmet Ceylan Güneş Şenol , Oktay Şenöz

https://izlik.org/JA65KC94XM

Abstract

Aim: The availability of antiretroviral treatments (ART) has transformed
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) management, turning
it from a fatal infection into a manageable chronic condition by
effectively reducing viral replication and enhancing patient survival
rates. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasingly recognized as
a leading cause of morbidity and death among people living with
HIV, highlighting the need to monitor potential adverse effects of
ART on the cardiovascular system. This study assessed the cardiovascular
effects of ART in a cohort of HIV-infected patients by
analyzing laboratory, echocardiographic strain, and demographic
data before and after treatment.
Material and Methods: A total of 56 patients who attended the
infectious diseases clinic and were scheduled to receive ART
treatment were included in the study. A comprehensive cardiovascular
assessment, comprising anamnesis, electrocardiogram, and
transthoracic strain echocardiography, was conducted before and
three months after the initiation of ART therapy.
Results: Examination of lipid parameter changes across treatment
regimens revealed a statistically significant elevation in total
cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and highdensity
lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in the group treated with tenofovir
alafenamide following treatment initiation. Regarding echocardiographic
parameters evaluated post-treatment, there was no
statistically significant change observed in left ventricular systolic
function (LVEF) and diastolic function (septal E/e’ratio) (60.81±5.5
vs. 61.16±4.3, p=0.313, and 9.23±2.2 vs. 9.43±2.6, p=0.214, respectively).
Notably, a significant improvement was observed in
left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS), with values
changing from -18.74±2.9 to -19.75±2.4 (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that ART can exert a beneficial
influence on cardiovascular health by enhancing myocardial strain
and diminishing inflammatory markers in patients infected with HIV.

Keywords

Antiretroviral treatments , Human Immunodeficiency Virus , Strain echocardiography.

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