Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Viral Load Fluctuation Mirrors the Haemoglobin Levels and Predicts the Risk of Anaemia

Abstract

Background: Anaemia is a common complication of HIV infection that can have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of affected individuals. Evaluating the relationship between haemoglobin concentration, CD4 count and viral load is therefore important in order to predict and reduce the risk of anaemia in people living with HIV. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between haemoglobin concentration, CD4 count and viral load in people living with HIV. Method: This retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out at Parirenyatwa Opportunistic Infections Clinic, Zimbabwe. The study was conducted from November 2022 to April 2023. The data collected from each patient`s data base included; demographics, haemoglobin value, CD4 count and viral load count. Data collected during this study were captured on spreadsheet using Microsoft excel and the data were analyzed using the Graph Pad prism software. Results: A total of 244 participants were enrolled into the study from the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals Opportunistic Infections Clinic of which 102 (41.8%) were male and 142 (58.2%) were female. Participants with high CD4 count and low viral load had a mean haemoglobin of 13.3g/dL, those with low CD4 count and high viral load count had a mean haemoglobin of 8.3g/dl, those with high CD4 count and high viral load count had a mean haemoglobin of 12.5g/dl and those with low CD4 and low viral load count had a mean haemoglobin of 10.70g/dl. Conclusion: The overall finding from this study was that haemoglobin levels of people living with HIV is greatly affected by viral load and CD4 counts and that patients’ haemoglobin levels inversely tract the HIV viral loads. Low CD4 count and/ or high viral load count is associated with anaemia in people living with HIV.