High Burden of Cardiac Abnormalities in Adults with HIV in Ethiopia: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives To estimate the prevalence and patterns of cardiac abnormalities among adults with HIV attending antiretroviral therapy clinics in Ethiopia and to identify clinical predictors of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods A multicenter cross-sectional study enrolled 312 adults with HIV from three tertiary hospitals in Addis Ababa. All participants underwent transthoracic echocardiography and standardized clinical assessment; multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of DCM. Results Echocardiographic abnormalities were detected in 42.1% of participants, including diastolic dysfunction (8.9%), left ventricular hypertrophy (8.9%), systolic dysfunction (6.1%), DCM (5.4%), coronary artery disease (3.9%), pericardial effusion (2.5%), and pulmonary hypertension (1.4%). DCM was independently associated with CD4 < 200 cells/mm 3 , antiretroviral therapy–naïve status, and BMI