Nutritional status of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Ratoma community medical center (Republic of Guinea).

Abstract

The nutritional status of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) has a direct impact on their health. The aim of this study was to describe the nutritional status of PLWHA receiving care at the Ratoma community medical center in Conakry, Guinea. This quantitative cross-sectional study assessed the nutritional status of 184 people PLHIV receiving antiretroviral treatment. The sample comprised 184 PLHIV selected by a systematic random sampling from the complete list of PLHIV. The data were collected by individual questionnaires. Two groups were defined according to their nutritional status, based on their body mass index (BMI): a malnourished group (BMI < 18,5kg/m2) and a well-nourished group (BMI ≥ 18,5kg/m2). CD4 lymphocyte counts were also collected. Of the 184 PLVIH, 19.6% were malnourished (95%CI: 14.1-25.0). The mean BMI was 22.2 ± 4.3kg/m2). The mean CD4 count differed significantly between the groups (328.7±237.7 CD4 cells/mm3 for the malnourished group and 432.9±256.9 for the well-nourished, p <0.017). Malnutrition was significantly associated with a low CD4 count. To improve survival and quality of life among PLHIV, this high frequency of malnutrition calls for sustained attention to the prevention and early detection and treatment of malnutrition in the early stages of HIV.