Heart scarring and fat buildup in women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
Official title: Myocardial Fibrosis and Steatosis Burden and Region-Specific Predictors of Progression among ART-treated Women with HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa (The MUTIMA Study)
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11387983 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at heart scarring and fat in women on HIV treatment in sub‑Saharan Africa to find early signs that lead to heart failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | August 7, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $220,424 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HL167645-03S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387983 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adult women living with HIV who are taking antiretroviral therapy and who receive care at participating sites in sub‑Saharan Africa.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not women living with HIV, those not on antiretroviral therapy, or those unable to attend imaging visits in sub‑Saharan Africa are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
If you join, you would get detailed heart imaging using cardiac MRI and spectroscopy to measure scarring (fibrosis) and fat in the heart. We will also collect blood tests and health information like weight, inflammation markers, and reproductive history to see what links to heart changes. The team will follow participants over time to see who develops worsening heart findings. The goal is to identify region-specific factors that predict progression so that higher‑risk women can be identified earlier.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify women with HIV at higher risk for heart failure earlier so they can get targeted monitoring or prevention.
How similar studies have gone: Imaging studies in other HIV populations have linked heart scarring and fat to poor outcomes, but this specific focus on ART‑treated women in sub‑Saharan Africa is new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Longenecker, Chris Todd — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Longenecker, Chris Todd
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Myocardial fibrosis and fat in ART-treated women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
This project studies heart tissue changes in women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa who are on antiretroviral therapy, to understand why they’re at higher risk for heart problems as they age.
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Myocardial fibrosis and fat in ART-treated women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
This grant studies heart tissue changes in women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa to understand why heart failure risk is higher in this group.
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Heart and liver of the heart: understanding heart damage in HIV-positive women in Africa
This study will look at heart damage and fat buildup in the hearts of women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa to understand what predicts progression.
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Heart scarring and fat in women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
This project uses advanced heart imaging to look for scarring and fat inside the hearts of women living with HIV on treatment in sub‑Saharan Africa.
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Heart scarring and fat changes in women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
This project uses advanced heart imaging to look for scarring and fat build-up in women on HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa to understand what raises their risk of heart failure.
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Understanding how genetic changes in blood cells relate to heart disease in people with HIV
A study will look at how age-related blood cell mutations and large chromosomal changes might contribute to heart disease risk in people living with HIV.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.