Determinants of Elevated Alkaline Phosphatase in Patients Infected with HIV

A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed to assess the prevalence of elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to determine the relation between ALP and specific antiretroviral therapy (ART).

A total of 2990 patients were included in this study. Data were collected from a major academic institution's HIV clinic using the most recent searchable values from patients' medical records. Included patients were 18 to 89 years old, had HIV, and their ALP results were available. Elevated ALP was defined as ALP >120 IU/L. Logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for predictors of elevated ALP level.

In our total population of 2990, 15.4% (n = 459) had elevated ALP. In the bivariate analyses, older age (≥60 years; OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.6-6.4), female sex (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-1.9), Other race (not African American) vs white (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.8-3.3), elevated creatinine (OR 2.9, 95% CI 2.1-4.1), laboratory evidence of liver disease (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.7-2.6), CD4 count <200 cells per cubic millimeter (OR 2.5, 95% CI 2.0-3.2), hepatitis C infection (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4-2.5), laboratory markers of bone turnover (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.1), and non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors use (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.02-1.15) were significantly associated with elevated ALP. Only the association with laboratory markers of bone turnover remained significant in the multivariate analysis, however.

The results suggest that comorbidities and demographic variables have stronger associations with elevated ALP than specific antiretroviral therapy. Future research should be conducted to define the clinical significance of elevated ALP among patients infected with HIV.