Determination of Lipid Derangements in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Patients Undergoing Anti-Retroviral Therapy

Abstract

Objective: To determine lipid derangements in HIV-positive patients receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
 Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study.
 Place and Duration of study: Chemical Pathology Department, in cooperation with the Department of Virology at Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Mar 2019 to Mar 2020.
 Methodology: In this study, two groups were made. In Group-1, lipid profile estimation was done in HIV patients without treatment. In contrast, lipid profile estimation was done after one year of treatment with anti-retroviral drugs in Group-2. 
 Results: One hundred and two HIV-positive subjects were included in our study. Of these patients, 88(86.27%) were males,and 14(13.73%) were females. Independent sample t-test revealed a statistically significant difference (p-value<0.05) in serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL-c), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and very lowdensity lipoproteins (VLDL) between the two groups.
 Conclusion: Hyperlipidemia in HIV patients getting anti-retroviral therapy (ART) exposes them to a high risk of coronary artery diseases and myocardial infarction. Hence lipid profile of patients getting ART must be regularly monitored, and hyperlipidemia, if present, should be managed.