Study of lipid profile in HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapy

Abstract

Background: The introduction of effective highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the mid 1990s lead to the marked reduction in the morbidity and mortality from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Increasing life expectancy, an aging population, and high rates of smoking have lead to concerns of the health of HIV infected individuals in the long run. Metabolic effects of HIV infection such as hypertriglyceridemia are well defined and side effects of HAART such as dyslipidemia and were described soon after its introduction. Aim: To study the lipid profile of HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapy. Materials and Methods: The present study was carried out in department of Medicine, Shri B. M. Patil Hospital and Research Centre, Vijayapur, Karnataka. This study was conducted between December 2013 and June 2015. Results: 120 patients are studied for period of 18 months. 66.7% patients have Hypercholesterolemia and 33.3% have in the normal range. 80% of the patients have HDL below the normal range and 20% have in the normal range. 70% of the patients have hypertriglyceridemia and 30% have within the normal range. 60% of patients have LDL in the abnormal range and 40% in the normal range. 5.8% of the patients have VLDL within abnormal range and 94.2% have it within the normal range. Males are more affected than females. The patients in the young age group are more affected than patients in the older group.