[HIV infection and pericardial disease invasion in Africa].

The number of cases with pericardial disease has been increasing in Africa and particularly in Zäire, after AIDS was defined. To investigate a possible link between HIV infection and risen incidence of pericardial effusions, 64 patients randomly selected (32 HIV carriers and 32 HIV-seronegative as controls), with suspected pericardial disease were studied in a longitudinal trial from January 1991 to December 1994. Central and accessory cells of immune system were measured in conjunction with blood screening, electrocardiogram (ECG), chest X-ray and cardiac ultrasound. Haematological examination included also microscopical examination of blood films after May-Grünwald-Giemsa staining. There were significant decreases of hemoglobin, CD4 cells, and basophils in HIV-seropositive patients. Pericardial disease was estimated 8.8% of in-hospital prevalence, in which 70% of cases were related to HIV infection. The HIV related pericardial disease had an incidence of 1.8% per year. Etiology of pericardial disease depends on evolution and immunodepression level; 90.5% of pericardial effusions related to HIV are caused by tuberculosis as shown at the second pericardiocenthesis.