Lipid Profile and Some Liver Enzymes in HIV/AIDS Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.

Abstract

Hepatotoxicity is one of the most serious complications in patients using antiretroviral therapy (ART). Also, it has been documented that abnormal lipid profile was observed in patients placed on ART by investigators in Europe and Asia. This study was carried out to find out if similar finding is obtained in patients on ART in University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH). One hundred and fifty-three participants were involved in the study which consists of fifty-two HIV/AIDS patients receiving ART, fifty-one HIV/AIDS patient who ART-naive and fifty apparently healthy HIV negative subjects where observed as control. Lipid profile and some liver enzymes were analysed using conventional methods. The lipid parameters are; total cholesterol, Triglycerides, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)-Cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)– Cholesterol, Very Low-Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) – cholesterol. The enzymes determined were Alanine amino transferase (ALT), Aspartate amino transferase (AST) and Alkaline phosphatase (ALP). In the study significant increase was observed in T. Cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL – cholesterol (p<0.001, <0.006 and <0.001) in HIV/AID study group respectively. However, Triglyceride and VLDL – Cholesterol values in study group showed no significant difference when compared with that of the control group (p>0.05). The mean values of ALT, AST and ALP enzymes activity of (HIV/AIDS) patients on ART, showered significant difference (p<0.001) when compared with the ART- naïve HIV/AIDS patients and HIV-negative control group. The mean activity in the ART- naïve HIV/AIDS patients show significant difference when compared with the HIV-negative control group (p< 0.001), but however, ALP showed no significant difference (p>0.05).  In the study, abnormal lipid profile and liver enzyme were obtained in patient receiving ART, we suggest that ART regimen should be administered with caution to ensure little or no side effect on the liver hepatocytes.