Prevalence of myocardial fibrosis among patients living with HIV and factors associated with a higher prevalence rate: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION

HIV infection is an established risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Although increasing evidence implicates a higher prevalence of myocardial fibrosis (MF) among patients living with HIV (PLWH) compared with the HIV-negative population, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding its determinants and factors associated with higher odds of MF development. We aim to perform a systematic review to estimate the prevalence of MF among PLWH. Additionally, we will determine the factors associated with higher odds of MF among PLWH compared with the HIV-negative population.

METHODS

A systematic review will be performed by consulting the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventional studies reporting a confirmed diagnosis of MF among PLWH. Articles will be eligible if they provide the prevalence of MF among PLWH and HIV-negative populations or the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of MF development in relation to HIV. Depending on the quality of the data and the heterogeneity among the included studies, a random-effects or fixed-effects model will be used to pool and compare the ORs of MF among PLWH and HIV-negative population. Factors associated with higher odds of MF in relation to HIV will also be determined.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval and obtaining informed consent are not required for this systematic review as it does not use individual patients' data. Results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.