Heart scarring and fat changes in women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
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)
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.
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 ID | NIH-11092210 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would be a woman living with HIV and on antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa who may have detailed heart imaging done. Researchers will use cardiac MRI and spectroscopy to measure diffuse fibrosis, focal scar, and fat inside the heart muscle at baseline and over time. They will also collect blood tests and health information about inflammation, body size, and reproductive aging to see which factors link to worsening heart tissue changes. The goal is to find signals that identify women at higher risk for heart failure and sudden cardiac death so care can be targeted earlier.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are women with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy and live in or can access participating sites in sub-Saharan Africa.
Not a fit: People without HIV, men, or women not on ART or who cannot access study sites in sub-Saharan Africa are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify women with HIV who are at higher risk for heart failure earlier and guide prevention or monitoring efforts.
How similar studies have performed: Cardiac MRI has previously linked myocardial fibrosis and steatosis with heart dysfunction in people with HIV, but this approach has not been well studied specifically in ART-treated women in sub-Saharan Africa.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Longenecker, Chris Todd — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Longenecker, Chris Todd
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 below.