Neuromuscular Complications of HIV-1 Infection

COVID-19-Induced Myopathy and Diaphragmatic Weakness: A Case Report

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus that can induce myopathy, which can evolve into potentially life-threatening muscle weakness, including diaphragmatic paralysis. We present a case report of a 57-year-old female treated in the medical ICU for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) triggered by active COVID-19 infection, who subsequently developed worsening respiratory weakness from underlying COVID-19 myopathy manifesting as respiratory muscle weakness. Our patient's muscle biopsy highlights the development of muscle atrophy without evidence of inflammatory myopathy, making the presence of pre-existing autoimmune myopathy unlikely. While literature cites different biochemical etiologies for the development of myopathy, the exact mechanism behind this phenomenon is not yet defined.

Arterial hypertension and cardiovascular risk in HIV-infected patients

The dramatic change of the natural history of HIV-infected patients by highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has exposed these patients to cardiovascular risk, including cardiovascular disease and hypertension. In HIV-infected patients, the development of arterial hypertension, at least in the medium-long term is an established feature, although recognized predictors of its development have not been clearly identified. In addition, conflicting data regarding the influence of antiretroviral therapy (ART) are reported. The presence of a proinflammatory state and oxidative stress-mediated endothelial dysfunction seem, however, to play a pathophysiologic role. In this review, we examine and provide a comprehensive, literature based, consideration of the pathophysiologic aspects of hypertension in these patients. HIV-infected patients, independently of the presence of hypertension, remain at very high cardiovascular risk due to the presence of the same cardiovascular risk factors recognized for the general population with, in addition, the indirect influence of the ART, essentially via its effect on lipid metabolism. This review based on the evidence from the literature, concludes that the management of HIV-infected patients in terms of cardiovascular prevention emerges as a priority. The consideration of cardiovascular risk in these patients should receive the same emphasis given for the general population at high cardiovascular risk, including adequate blood pressure control according to international guidelines.