HIV AND PULMONARY-HYPERTENSION - A REVIEW

We describe two unique cases of pulmonary hypertension in association with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and review the 28 previous ly reported cases in the world literature. Our first patient has coexi stent chronic active hepatitis, which has previously been associated w ith the development of plexogenic pulmonary hypertension; however, our second case clearly demonstrates a closer link between HIV infection and pulmonary hypertension. Unlike previously reported cases, our latt er case was devoid of all other coexistent factors including intraveno us drug abuse, hepatitis B antigenemia, coexisting immunologic lung pa renchymal injury, and hepatitis. Additionally, this is the first case documenting the presence of asymptomatic type II cryoglobulins in an H IV-positive patient with plexogenic pulmonary hypertension.