Prevalence of highly active antiretroviral therapy associated metabolic abnormalities and lipodystrophy in HIV infected patients.

BACKGROUND: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) improves the longevity of HIV patients. However, the side effect of the drugs leads to development of chronic metabolic and cardiovascular complications.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of the metabolic abnormalities and lipodystrophy among adult Ethiopian HIV infected patients on ART for one year and above.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV infected patients on HAART for one year or more, attending the ART clinics of Tikur Anbessa Specialized hospital in Addis Ababa. A total of consecutive 356 HIV infected patients volunteered to participate in the study from July 2007 to January 2008. Data was collected using clinical interview technique on structured questionnaires and physical examination of the patient, 319 had biochemical tests performed.

RESULTS: Three hundred fifty six HIV patients; 261 (73.1%) females and 95 (26%) males were studied. Two hundred nine (59.7%) patients were on Stavudine based and 135 (41.3%) were on Zidovudine based ART therapy. The overall prevalence of lipodystrophy was 68.3% (243), prevalence of hyperlipademia among 319 HIV patient was 56.9% Among these, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was 38.2%, high LDL cholesterol was 54.2% hypertryglyceredimeia was 15.2% Fasting hyperglycemia was 17.8% (IFG in 10.9% and overt diabetes in 6.9%). History of smoking was significantly associated with lipoatrophy and lipohypertrophy. ART regimen d4T was significantly associated with lipoatrophy. Duration of ART treatment > or = 1 yr was significantly associated with both lipoatrophy, lipohypertrophy and hypertriglyceredemia.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Lipodystrophies occurred in majority of patients on ART treatment for longer than one year, hyperlipaedemia and hyperglycaemia were also seen commonly in Ethiopian HIV patients on HAART. We recommend careful monitoring of metabolic abnormalities, examination of the patient for early detection of the side effect, change of the offending agents management of metabolic abnormalities.