Changes of Lipid Profile and Other Biological Parameters in People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in the General Referral Provincial Hospital of Bukavu, Eastern of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Objective: Metabolic disturbances such as dyslipidemia and liver enzymes changes may be associated with the risk for developing cardiac disorder as well as liver toxicity in PLWH having HAART. This study investigated the biological pattern of PLWH on effective antiretroviral therapy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods: This was a case-control study including 45 PLWH who were going to initiate HAART and 40 drug-naive HIV-infected patients as a control group. Subjects were followed-up from baseline to six months by assessing their CD4+T cell counts and biochemical concentrations of serum cholesterols (CHOL, LDL-C, and HDL-C), TGs, aminotransferases (AST and ALT), creatinine, urea, and FPG. Atherogenic Indices (AI) were also calculated. Differences between groups were estimated using the student's t test or analysis of variance if more than two groups. The p values ˂0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: After six months, the mean CD4+ T cell counts were significantly improved (p˂0.0001) in PLWH on HAART. However, there were significant increases of CHOL, LDL-C and TG levels (p˂0.0001), whereas HDL-C levels were significantly decreased (p˂0.0001) over six months of follow-up. Higher AIs were also observed in PLWH having HAART than in HAART-naive subjects (p˂0.0001). AST and ALT levels were higher in people living with HIV on HAART than in control group at baseline (p=0.007 and p=0.002), three months (p=0.059 and p=0.001) and six months (p=0.0140 and p=0.0142). However, the AST and ALT differences were found more pronounced in women PLWH on HAART (p˂0.05). In HIV subjects on HAART, the values of sCr and urea have not significantly changed over six months of follow-up (p=0.105 and p=0.06). There was a significant decrease of FPG in people living with HIV on HAART over six months (p˂0.0001). Conclusion: This study showed biochemical abnormalities in PLWH on effective antiretroviral therapy. Thus, the monitoring of biological profile would be of great importance in the clinical follow-up of HIV subjects having HARRT.