HIV infection is associated with significantly higher myocardial fibrosis markers in patients living with HIVHIV infection is linked to increased heart muscle scarring

HIV infection significantly elevated the odds of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial fibrosis. We aimed to determine the difference of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), extracellular volume (ECV), T1, and T2 using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in patients living with HIV (PLWH) and healthy controls. The databases Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and PubMed were searched systematically using relevant keywords. STATA version 17 was used for meta-analysis using random effect and fixed effect models for heterogeneous and non-heterogeneous analyses. An overall number of 13 studies were included in the current analysis involving 1425 PLWH and 766 healthy controls. PLWH showed significantly higher LGE (OR: 5.47, 95% CI: 1.90-15.64, p<0.001) and ECV (mean difference: 1.46, 95% CI: 0.21-2.71, p=0.02) compared to controls. However, differences in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) were not significant (mean difference: -1.41, 95% CI: -2.81- -0.01, p=0.05). There were no meaningful disparities in pro B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) values (mean difference: 8.67, 95% CI: 0.04-17.29, p=0.05) or T2 values (mean difference: 0.91 ms, 95% CI: -1.04-2.86, p=0.36), but T1 values were significantly higher in PLWH (mean difference: 13.78 ms, 95% CI: 9.16-18.40, p<0.001). In meta regression, LGE was correlated with nadir CD4 (z=-3.41, p-value<0.001). In addition, ECV was correlated with white race (Z=-3.97, p-value<0.001), Hepatitis C (Z=-2.08, p-value=0.037), and smoking (Z=2.05, p-value=0.041). HIV is related to a significantly elevated rate of myocardial fibrosis, and factors such as lower nadir CD4, white race, hepatitis C, and smoking were correlated with hepatitis C. Keywords: Myocardial fibrosis, HIV, AIDS, Cardiovascular diseases, Heart failure