TREND TOWARDS HEPATOCELLULAR DAMAGE IN HIV-1 INFECTED SUBJECTS WITH SHORT TERM USAGE OF HIGHLY ACTIVE ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY (HAART) IN BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the short term effects of stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine on some liver enzymes of HIV-1 positive subjects in Benin City, between three and six months of usage. Test group 1 (n=78) and test group 2 (n= 71) comprised HIV- 1 seropositive individuals on HAART for one to three months; and five to six months respectively.55 newly diagnosed HIV-1 positive subjects naïve to HAART as control group 1 and 60 apparently healthy HIV-1 seronegative individuals as control group 2. The blood samples obtained were analyzed for activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) using standard enzymatic methods. Results obtained showed that ALP activity of test group 2 (24.54 ± 1.21U/L) was not significantly different from test group 1 (23.15 ± 1.26U/L), both were however significantly higher than control group 1 (17.08±0.88U/L) and control group 2 (18.16±1.40 U/L). AST activities in test group 2 (40.32±4.7 U/L) was not significantly different from test group 1 (33.32 ±2.11 U/L), but these values were highly significantly different from control groups 1 and 2 (17.69 ± 0.83 U/L and 20.58±1.39 U/L) respectively.Similar pattern of statistical differencewas observed in ALT activities of test groups 2 and 1; control groups 1 and 2 .This study reveals that hepatocellular damage associated with HAART usage could set in from one to six months of HAART usage. Liver enzymes should be monitored in the course of HAART usage possibly from the month of commencement and treatment plans should include reduction of liver enzymes elevation by being hepato-protective