Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in people living with human immunodeficiency virus on antiretroviral therapy in Gweru district, Zimbabwe.

Laston Gonah,Khumbulani Hlongwana,Indres Moodley

doi:10.4102/phcfm.v12i1.2473

Abstract

BackgroundWhile antiretroviral therapy (ART) has markedly increased survival in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV), emerging trends of co-existence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and HIV could negate the gains already achieved in controlling HIV.AimThe study aimed to determine the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in PLHIV on ART in Gweru district.SettingSix high-volume ART sites in Gweru district under Midlands province in Zimbabwe.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. Screening and data collection occurred over a 3-month cycle when all patients were expected to have visited the ART sites for their monthly ART drug supply. The process also allowed the identification of health system challenges regarding data management for HIV-NCD comorbidity. Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate NCD prevalence ratio (PR) in PLHIV.ResultsNearly 18 000 PLHIV registered for ART were identified. Hypertension (19.5%) and diabetes mellitus (8.4%) were the most common NCDs identified with a high proportion of those who did not know their diagnosis (over 50%). The prevalence of hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus among women was 74.9% compared to 25.1% in men (PR 3.22; 95% CI: 3.07–5.51, p = 0.0000). Other factors associated with increased prevalence of hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus were age group of ≥ 60 years (PR 2.5; 95% CI: 1.42–3.22, p = 0.00023), and duration of ≥ 5 years on ART (PR 6.4; 95% CI: 4.70–8.01, p = 0.0011). Separate data collection for NCDs and HIV was a key challenge affecting quantification of magnitude of HIV-NCDs comorbidity and subsequently management of NCDs in PLHIV.ConclusionsIndications of increasing prevalence of NCDs in PLHIV call for integrated electronic data management for HIV, TB and NCDs. This will allow active NCD case finding, and eventually improve prevalence data and treatment for HIV-NCD comorbidity. Future studies should focus on the health experiences and access to treatment in PLHIV diagnosed with NCDs; and to establish the accurate manner in which HIV status, ART and NCDs might be associated, through conducting a case control or cohort study.

Highlights

Successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly contributed to viral suppression and markedly increased survival in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV)
By the end of 2018, Zimbabwe witnessed an unprecedented increase in the proportion of PLHIV accessing ART (86.8% of 1.3 million PLHIV) with a corresponding 45% decrease in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related deaths since 2010.1 These statistics point to a positive trend of a general increase in survival among PLHIV largely because of ART
This was a cross-sectional study conducted among PLHIV registered for ART in six high-volume ART sites which have the highest number of PLHIV collectively representing over 80% of all PLHIV who are on ART in Gweru district

Summary

Introduction

Successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly contributed to viral suppression and markedly increased survival in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV). Available evidence shows that because of increased investment for HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) control, the proportion of PLHIV accessing ART worldwide increased significantly from 47% in 2010 to 62% in 2018, and a concomitant 33% decline in AIDS-related mortality.[1] By the end of 2018, Zimbabwe witnessed an unprecedented increase in the proportion of PLHIV accessing ART (86.8% of 1.3 million PLHIV) with a corresponding 45% decrease in AIDS-related deaths since 2010.1 These statistics point to a positive trend of a general increase in survival among PLHIV largely because of ART. While ART has markedly contributed to increased survival in PLHIV, emerging trends of co-existence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and HIV could negate the gains already http://www.phcfm.org. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) has markedly increased survival in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV), emerging trends of co-existence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and HIV could negate the gains already achieved in controlling HIV

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