Prevalence of dyslipidemia among human immunodeficiency virus infected Nigerians

Dyslipidemia is a significant risk factor for premature cardiovascular disease. People infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been shown to develop alterations in body composition, lipid and glucose metabolism, which predisposes them to cardiovascular disease. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and its therapies may contribute to these changes. These metabolic changes in addition to the other traditional risk factors may contribute to the excess cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality observed in HIV-infected individuals. We, therefore set out to describe the prevalence of dyslipidemia among HIV infected Nigerians.

This is a cross sectional study, was conducted in HIV specialty clinic of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) between May and August 2009. HIV infected patients were recruited. Half of them were on HAART for 6 months and above while the other half were HAART naïve. Patients who satisfied inclusion criteria were recruited consecutively until the required sample size was obtained. Data were collected using the pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire. Socio-demographic information, anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were obtained from the subjects in a standardized manner. Venous samples were collected for necessary investigations and analyzed at the hospital central laboratory.

Two hundred subjects were studied, the mean age for all the participants was 32.5 ± 7.55 years. The age ranged from 20 to 50 years, 64% of the respondents (128) were aged between 20 and 34 years. Forty three (21.5%) of them were above the age of 40 years. Fifty percent were on HAART and the other 50% were HAART naïve. The duration of HAART treatment ranged from 6-84 months. The mean CD4 cell counts was higher for subjects on HAART compared to HAART naive 376.33±215.66 and 261.09 ±195.64, respectively (P < 0.001). High TC (31% vs. 7%, P ≤ 0.001), low HDL-C (61% vs. 76%, P = 0.022), high LDL (36% vs. 26%, P = 0.126), high TG (19% vs. 13%, P = 0.247).

HIV infected patients on HAART demonstrated higher prevalence of high TC while HAART naïve subject showed higher prevalence of low HDL.