Abnormalities In HIV-infected Patients Research Articles

Echocardiographic findings and associated factors in HIV-infected patients at a tertiary hospital in Ethiopia.

Noncommunicable diseases including cardiovascular diseases are becoming an important part of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care. Echocardiography is a useful noninvasive tool to assess cardiac disease and different echocardiographic abnormalities have been seen previously. The aim of this study was to investigate the echocardiographic abnormalities in HIV-infected patients and factors associated with the findings.A cross-sectional study was conducted on 285 patients with HIV infection including collection of clinical and echocardiographic data. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between echocardiographic abnormalities and associated factors with variables with a P value of <.05 in the multivariate model considered statistically significant.Diastolic dysfunction was the most common abnormality seen in 30% of the participants followed by ischemic heart disease (19.3%), left ventricular hypertrophy (10.2%), enlarged left atrium (8.1%), pulmonary hypertension (3.6%), and pericardial effusion (2.1%). Diastolic dysfunction was independently associated with increasing age, elevated blood pressure, and left ventricular hypertrophy while ischemic heart disease was associated with male gender, increasing age, and abnormal fasting blood glucose. Left ventricular hypertrophy was associated with increasing age and blood pressure and the later was associated with left atrial enlargement. The level of immunosuppression did not affect echocardiography findings.A high prevalence of echocardiographic abnormalities was found. Male gender, age >50 years, elevated blood pressure, and elevated fasting blood glucose were associated with echocardiographic abnormalities. Appropriate follow-up and treatment of echocardiographic abnormalities is needed.

CARDIOVASCULAR MANIFESTATIONS IN HIV POSITIVE PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, CENTRAL INDIA

Background: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is one of the major public health problem in india .HIV estimates report (2019)(1) of the Government, India is estimated to have around 23.49 lakh people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in 2019 . in Chhattisgarh it is 42520&amp;HIV incidence per 1,000 uninfected population is 0.1 .with the recent advancements in therapy early mortality in HIV cases are significantly reduced but cardiovascular abnormalities are frequently seen as the disease progress and is associated with decreased quality of life.&#x0D; Aims and objective: To know the pattern and prevalence of various cardiovascular manifestations in HIV positive patients and its association with CD4 count, WHO stage of disease and ART&#x0D; Material and Methods: for the period of 1.3 years from JANUARY 2019 TO APRIL 2020studyis conducted in the Department of Medicine, PT.JNM Medical College and Dr. BRAMH, Raipur. A total of 137 HIV positive patients of age&gt;18 years, all are on ART are included.patients included in the study underwent detailed history taking, clinical examination and investigations. Details of the history, clinical examination and investigations were noted in the proforma. The cardiovascular examination in the form of chest x-ray, ECG, 2D echocardiography and NT-ProBNP was done and their correlationswith CD4 count and WHO disease stage is studied accordingly. Electrocardiogram, chest x-ray and 2D echocardiography was done immediately following blood investigation.&#x0D; Result: Majority (45.25%) of the patients involved in this study were in age group of 31-45 year with the overall average mean age of 38.86 years. Male to female ratio was 3.1:1. On x-ray cardiomegaly found in 25.5% pts baseline ECG abnormalitities seen in 47.4% pts . echocardiographic abnormality seen in 56.2% pts .The commonest finding in our study is valvular abnormalities in 55 pts (40.1%) followed by diastolic dysfunction in 45 pts(32.8%). Other less common cardiac manifestations in decreasing order of frequency were reduced LVEF in 33 pts(24%), pericardial effusion in 15 pts (10.9%),left ventricular hypertrophy in 13 pts (9.4%), pulmonary arterial hypertension in 10 pts (7.2%)and regional wall motion abnormality in 9 pts (6.5%). We found A strong statistical correlation found between CD4 count and pericardial effusion in 2D-ECHO (p= 0.0410023). Also strong statistical correlation (p=0.016456) is found between the WHO stage of disease and cardiomegaly, strong statistical correlation found between WHO staging of disease and QRS abnormalities (p= 0.02551) and inverted T wave (p= 0.000528), strong statistical correlation found between WHO stage of disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension in 2D-ECHO (p=0.006832). And statistical association found between WHO stage of disease and regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) in 2D-ECHO (p=0.002541).&#x0D; Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that cardiovascular abnormalities in HIV infected patients are common. Cardiac involvement and cardiovascular complications are commonly seen in HIV-infected patients and can present without any clinical manifestation. The common cardiovascular manifestation seen in our study patients is valvular leaks, regional wall motion abnormality, pericardial effusion, reduced EF etc. The incidence of cardiovascular manifestations increases as the disease progresses and CD4 count decreases.&#x0D; Keywords: Prevalence, Cardiovascular, Abnormalities &amp; HIV.&#x0D; Study Designed: Cross Sectional Observational Study.

Profile of hematological abnormalities and its correlation with absolute CD4 count and human immunodeficiency virus viral load in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients in a tertiary care hospital

Background:A variety of hematological manifestations are seen at every stage of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and they often pose a great challenge in the comprehensive management of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Anemia is the most common hematological abnormality associated with HIV infection. The severity and the incidence of cytopenia are usually correlated with the stage of the disease and underlying immune status if interpreted cautiously, especially if the patient is on regular follow-up. The primary objective of the present study was to understand the spectrum of hematological abnormalities in HIV-infected patients, whereas the secondary objective was to evaluate the correlation of hematological abnormalities with absolute CD4 count and HIV viral load.Materials and Methods:The present cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 100 patients, aged 18 years and above, diagnosed with HIV infection and confirmed by Western blot or ELISA method. Both inpatients and outpatients at our tertiary care hospital were included in the study.Results:Individuals with high viral load and low CD4 count had a higher prevalence of anemia. There was a statistically significant and directly proportionate decrease in the absolute CD4 count as the hemoglobin levels decreased (P = 0.004). In the present study, normocytic normochromic blood picture and anemia of chronic disease blood picture were more prevalent among the study participants. Individuals with high viral load and CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 had a higher rate of occurrence of coinfections. The correlation of absolute neutrophil count and thrombocytopenia with absolute CD4 count and HIV viral load was not statistically significant.Conclusions:Complete blood counts and peripheral smear observations were significantly correlated with high HIV viral load and lower absolute CD4 cell counts and therefore can be suggested as economical alternatives for the evaluation of the status of HIV disease stage and its progression.

Prevalence of Haematological and Serum Biochemical Abnormalities in HIV Infected Patients in Ghana, Before and after Antiretroviral Therapy

Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) has led to prolonged survival of HIV-infected patients. However, the long-term use of HAART has the potential to cause haematological and biochemical abnormalities such as cytopenia, liver damage and renal injuries, which may be life threatening. Such HAART-related metabolic syndromes lead to the discontinuation of HAART in patients on therapy. Therefore, this study sought to determine the prevalence of haematological and serum biochemical abnormalities in HIV infected HAART naïve and 6 months after they have been exposed to regular HAART use.

Reversibility of echocardiographic changes in human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome

Background: Echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have been well documented. However, their relation with CD4 count and reversibility with treatment has not been studied prospectively. We studied prevalence and nature of echocardiographic abnormalities in HIV-infected patients and prospectively correlated with their CD4 count. Materials and Methods: We studied 108 consecutive patients with HIV infection. Baseline CD4 cell count and two-dimensional echocardiography were done. The study participants were categorized into two; one with CD4 count 100/mm3. They were followed up quarterly with CD4 count and repeat echocardiography for 1 year. Results: Abnormalities on echocardiography were noted in 36 of 108 patients (33.3%). Thirty-two patients (29.6%) were detected to have diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle, ten patients (9.25%) left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction and eight patients (7.4%) pericardial effusion. Abnormalities were more frequent when CD4 was

Prothrombotic State in HIV: A Study on Protein C, Protein S, Homocysteine and Correlation with CD4 Counts

Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may result in variable haematological manifestations. Thrombotic events are more common among HIV-infected persons than the general population, possibly due to the increased inflammatory/hypercoagulable state and presence of concurrent comorbidities. Aims and Objectives: (1) Screen for coagulation abnormalities in HIV-infected patients. (2) Detect certain prothrombotic factors such as deficiency of protein C and protein S and elevation of homocysteine as possible precursors of coagulation defects in HIV patients. (3) Correlation of coagulation abnormalities with CD4 counts. Methods: A pilot study of 1-year duration conducted in the Department of Pathology in collaboration with ART centre, KGMU Lucknow. All diagnosed HIV-seropositive patients (n = 30) who were not taking Vitamin K, antithrombotic and antiplatelet drugs including aspirin, oral contraceptives and not having known protein C/S deficiency were included in the present study as cases. Apart from this, 30 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were also included in the present study. Assessment of the bleeding time, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, complete blood count was done. Protein C and S were measured by calorimetric assay. Serum homocysteine was measured by the semi-automated method. CD4 count was done by flow cytometry. Results: The findings of the present study suggest a relationship between HIV, its complications and thrombosis. The HIV-seropositive patients have reduced levels of haemoglobin, CD4 counts, platelet counts, mean platelet volume, protein C and S activity as compared to the healthy individuals. Thrombophilic abnormality in the form of hyperhomocysteinaemia is more frequent in HIV-infected patients. All these parameters have a definite correlation with CD4 count.

Motor-related brain abnormalities in HIV-infected patients: a multimodal MRI study.

It is generally believed that HIV infection could cause HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) across a broad range of functional domains. Some of the most common findings are deficits in motor control. However, to date no neuroimaging studies have evaluated basic motor control in HIV-infected patients using a multimodal approach. In this study, we utilized high-resolution structural imaging and task-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess brain structure and motor function in a homogeneous cohort of HIV-infected patients. We found that HIV-infected patients had significantly reduced gray matter (GM) volume in cortical regions, which are involved in motor control, including the bilateral posterior insula cortex, premotor cortex, and supramarginal gyrus. Increased activation in bilateral posterior insula cortices was also demonstrated by patients during hand movement tasks compared with healthy controls. More importantly, the reduced GM in bilateral posterior insula cortices was spatially coincident with abnormal brain activation in HIV-infected patients. In addition, the results of partial correlation analysis indicated that GM reduction in bilateral posterior insula cortices and premotor cortices was significantly correlated with immune system deterioration. This study is the first to demonstrate spatially coincident GM reduction and abnormal activation during motor performance in HIV-infected patients. Although it remains unknown whether the brain deficits can be recovered, our findings may yield new insights into neurologic injury underlying motor dysfunction in HAND.

Radiological Abnormalities in HIV Infected Patients with Neurologic Symptoms and Diagnostic Accuracy of CT and MRI Scans of Brain

Radiological Abnormalities in HIV Infected Patients with Neurologic Symptoms and Diagnostic Accuracy of CT and MRI Scans of Brain

Investigation of Small Bowel Abnormalities in HIV-Infected Patients Using Capsule Endoscopy.

HIV infection is reportedly associated with an increased permeability of the intestinal epithelium and can cause HIV enteropathy, which occurs independently of opportunistic infections. However, the characteristics of small bowel abnormalities attributable to HIV infection are rarely investigated. In the present study, we assessed the intestinal mucosal changes found in HIV-infected patients and compared them with the mucosa of healthy control subjects using capsule endoscopy (CE). Three of the 27 HIV-infected patients harbored gastrointestinal opportunistic infections and were thus excluded from subsequent analyses. The endoscopic findings of CE in HIV-infected patients were significantly higher than those in control subjects (55% versus 10%, P = 0.002); however, most lesions, such as red spots or tiny erosions, were unlikely to cause abdominal symptoms. After validating the efficacy of CE for the diagnosis of villous atrophy, we found that the prevalence of villous atrophy was 54% (13/24) among HIV-infected patients. Interestingly, villous atrophy persisted in patients receiving long-term antiretroviral therapy, though most of them exhibited reconstituted peripheral blood CD4+ T cells. Although we could not draw any conclusions regarding the development of small bowel abnormalities in HIV-infected patients, our results may provide some insight regarding the pathogenesis of HIV enteropathy.

Antitubercular therapy induced liver function tests abnormalities in human immunodeficiency virus infected individuals

BackgroundBoth antitubercular therapy (ATT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) can cause drug induced liver injury (DILI) in tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection. The aim of this research was to study ATT-induced liver function test (LFT) abnormalities in HIV-infected patients. MethodsHIV-infected patients diagnosed with TB were evaluated with baseline LFT and CD4 counts. ATT regimen was modified if baseline LFT was significantly abnormal. Patients on protease inhibitors were given rifabutin instead of rifampicin. In patients on nevirapine-based ART, efavirenz was substituted for nevirapine. In ART-naive patients, the timing of introduction of ART was according to CD4 cell counts. LFT were repeated fortnightly or as clinically indicated for 10 weeks. ResultsWe studied 100 patients with HIV ([M – 67, F – 23], mean age: 40.05±10.75 years, mean CD4 cell count: 239.157±228.49cells/dL). Sixty-one patients were on ART prior to diagnosis of TB. Baseline LFT abnormalities (n=40) were similar in ART and non-ART group (28/61 vs 12/39, p=0.13). After starting ATT, derangement of LFT was observed in majority of patients (99/100). However, liver sparing ATT was required only in 15 patients. Bilirubin >2.5mg/dL was seen only in 9 patients. Significant rise in transaminases was commoner in patients on concurrent ART and ATT (p=0.044) and with baseline LFT abnormalities (p=0.00016). There was no case of acute liver failure or mortality. ConclusionMild LFT abnormalities are common in HIV-infected individuals on ATT. Concomitant use of ATT and ART and baseline LFT abnormalities increase the risk of significant DILI. However, with closer follow-up, serious liver injury can be prevented.

Prevalence and significance of proximal renal tubular abnormalities in HIV-infected patients receiving tenofovir.

Patients receiving tenofovir, disoproxil, fumarate (TDF) had an increased prevalence of proximal renal tubular dysfunction (PRTD), but contributing factors and its clinical significance remain controversial. Cross-sectional evaluation of different urinary parameters (proteinuria, albuminuria, phosphaturia, uricosuria, glycosuria) in 200 HIV-infected patients receiving TDF, 26 following TDF discontinuation, and 22 never treated with TDF, included in a prospective cohort study. PRTD was defined as two or more tubular abnormalities. After a median of 65 months (interquartile range, 42.7-84.7), at least one tubular alteration was found in 72% of patients, mostly proteinuria (42, 50, and 14% in current, previous and never TDF use; P=0.02) and phosphaturia (46, 42, and 14%; respectively, P < 0.01). PRTD was found in 63 patients (32%) receiving TDF, ranging from 14 to 46% according to concomitant hepatitis C virus coinfection, diabetes mellitus or hypertension arterial, in contrast with six (23%) following TDF discontinuation, and zero cases in no TDF-treated patients. The use of TDF [odds ratio (OR) 13.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-22.7; P = 0.01], cumulative time on combination antiretroviral therapy (OR 1.011; 95% CI 1.07-1.019 per month; P = 0.01), and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94-0.99 per ml/min per 1.73 m higher; P = 0.04) were associated with PRTD. The number of tubular abnormalities was linearly associated with eGFR decline since TDF initiation (β-coefficient -0.15, P = 0.02), together with age (-0.18; P = 0.01), baseline eGFR (0.49, P = 0.01), diabetes mellitus (-0.19, P = 0.02), and time on TDF (-0.23; P = 0.01). The use of TDF leads to an increased rate of tubular dysfunction, and modulated by age, baseline eGFR, and classical factors, is associated with kidney function decline.

Carotid intima media thickness is associated with body fat abnormalities in HIV-infected patients.

BackgroundHIV-infected patients may be at increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events, and lipodystrophy is generally associated with proatherogenic metabolic disturbances. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) has been used as a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis and it has been shown to be an independent risk factor for CV disease. Our objective was to evaluate cIMT in HIV-infected patients on combined anti-retroviral therapy (cART) with and without lipodystrophy defined by fat mass ratio (L-FMR), and to determine the association of lipodystrophy and visceral obesity [(visceral (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) volume and VAT/SAT ratio, objectively evaluated by CT scan] with cIMT.MethodsCross-sectional study of 199 HIV-infected patients. Body composition by DXA and abdominal CT, lipids, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, and cIMT by ultrasonography were performed. L-FMR was defined as the ratio of the percentage of trunk fat mass to the percentage of lower limb fat mass by DXA. Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. Spearman correlation coefficients were estimated to study the association between cIMT and clinical and metabolic characteristics. Means of cIMT, adjusted for age, were calculated, using generalized linear models.ResultsL-FMR was present in 41.2% of patients and cIMT was higher in these patients [0.81 (0.24) vs. 0.76 (0.25); p = 0.037)]. Lipodystrophic patients had higher VAT and VAT/SAT ratio and lower SAT. cIMT was associated with lipodystrophy evaluated by FMR, trunk fat, total abdominal fat, VAT and VAT/SAT ratio. No association was observed between cIMT and leg fat mass. Using generalized linear models, cIMT means were adjusted for age and no significant differences remained after this adjustment. The adjusted mean of cIMT was 0.787 (95% CI: 0.751-0.823) in patients without lipodystrophy, and 0.775 (95% CI: 0.732-0.817) in those with lipodystrophy (p = 0.671).ConclusionsHIV-infected patients on cART with lipodystrophy defined by FMR, had a significantly higher cIMT. Carotid IMT was also associated with classical cardiovascular risk factors. In these patients, visceral adipose tissue had a significant impact on cIMT, although age was the strongest associated factor.

Clinical Profile and Factors Associated with Liver Enzyme Abnormalities among HIV-Infected Persons

Background: As HIV infected patients are experiencing longer life expectancies, liver disease has been recognized as a major issue but data about etiology of deranged liver function is more limited and is mostly from western countries. Aims and Objectives: To study the clinical spectrum of liver enzyme abnormalities in HIV infected patients; To study the potential cause(s) and identify factors associated with liver enzyme elevations among HIV-infected patients. Materials and Methods: Cross sectional, prospective study in tertiary care hospital. 50 HIV infected Patients with deranged liver enzymes are followed and evaluated for possible causes and outcome of deranged LFT. Results: Out of 50 HIV patient with deranged LFT cause of liver dysfunction was found in 45 patients (90%), 5 (10%) patient remains undiagnosed. Most common diagnosis was drug induced 13 (26%) [ATT induced 7, ART induced 6], hepatitis B 10 (20%) and alcoholic liver disease 9 (18%). Liver biopsy is required in 12 (24%) patients of which of which 7 (58%) biopsies are normal. Two biopsies showed steatosis and tuberculous granuloma, cholestasis and NCPF was found in one patient each. Hepatitis C was found in one patient only and opportunistic infections were not detected any patient. Fasting lipid profile was not statistically different between HIV patients with normal or abnormal liver function. Out of 50 patients only 3 patients died during one month follow up. Conclusions: Our study revealed that traditional causes of hepatic dysfunction like hepatitis B, alcoholism, antiretroviral and antitubercular drugs are found in majority of patients. Hepatitis c and opportunistic infection are becoming less common. With increased life expectancy of HIV patients, rare causes of liver dysfunction in HIV like NASH, NCPF and HIV associated cholangiopathy are increasing which will be effectively managed by timely diagnosis and treatment.

Syphilis as a diagnosis of liver abnormalities in HIV

In order to investigate syphilitic liver involvement in HIV-infected patients, a single-centre retrospective study of a cohort of HIV-infected patients with syphilis was performed at the Infectious Diseases Clinic of Perugia, Italy, between December 2002 and March 2010. Fifty HIV-infected patients were identified with syphilis plus baseline and follow-up liver tests. The following syphilis diagnoses were recorded: 19 secondary (38%), 26 latent (52%), and 5 tertiary/neurosyphilis (12%). Syphilitic hepatitis was found in 5/50 (10%) patients. This finding supports the importance of including syphilis in the differential diagnosis of liver enzyme abnormalities in HIV-infected patients. An early diagnosis of syphilitic hepatitis can lead to rapid normalization of liver function following appropriate therapy, prevents the progression of syphilis, and limits the further spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.

Thyroid function in newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients

A variety of HIV-related endocrine dysfunctions including adrenal, gonadal and thyroid disorders have been reported. We aimed to compare between the markers of thyroid function in newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients and healthy volunteers as a control group. The prevalence of the thyroid abnormalities in HIV-infected patients was assessed and the levels of thyroid autoantibodies were also determined. A total of 100 newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients having a CD4 cell count of 180-350 cells/mm(3) were enrolled in the study. Same number of healthy volunteers were also included for comparison. Measurements of thyroid function tests including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin and free triiodothyronine levels beside thyroid autoantibodies, including antithyroglobulin (ATBG) and antithyroid peroxidase (ATPO), were carried out for all patients and volunteers. In total, 70% of HIV-infected patients had normal thyroid function tests when compared with control individuals, while 30% of HIV-infected patients had abnormal thyroid function. Of the 30 cases, 11 cases had abnormal TSH values, with increased TSH predominant (7% of HIV cases) than decreased TSH (4% of patients) values. Incidence of thyroid abnormalities ranging from hypothyroidism (subclinical and overt: 6% and 1%, respectively) to hyperthyroidism (2%) and nonthyroidal illness (9%) were estimated in HIV-infected patients. The values of thyroid autoantibodies were almost normal in HIV-infected patients, except the three cases presented with elevated ATBG, indicating that thyroid abnormalities were not due to elevated ATBG and ATPO. Thyroid hormones are of great importance and due to high prevalence of thyroid function abnormality, it is recommended that thyroid function tests should be monitored in all HIV-infected patients before starting the treatment.

Cardiac Abnormalities in HIV-Positive Patients

Background: The clinical presentation of cardiac abnormalities in HIV-infected patients may be atypical or masked by concurrent illnesses that lead to misdiagnosis or they remain undiagnosed; therefore, this study was aimed to determine the frequency of cardiac abnormalities in HIV-infected patients. Material and Methods: Consecutive HIV-infected patients of age &gt;13 years were studied for 3 months, after obtaining their consent. After clinical assessment, chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, 2-dimensional echocardiography and serum Troponin T levels were done. Results: A total of 100 patients were studied, cardiomegaly was observed in the x-ray of 15% of them, abnormal electrocardiogram was seen in 18%, 2-dimensional echocardiography was abnormal in 67%; and diastolic dysfunction (42.8%) was the commonest abnormality followed by dilated cardiomyopathy (17.6%). Serum troponin T was elevated in 8%. The variables, opportunistic infections (OIs), antiretroviral therapy (ART), stage of HIV disease, and CD4 counts, did not affect the frequency of diastolic dysfunction. Conclusion: The diastolic dysfunction is the most common cardiac abnormality observed in HIV-infected patients.

Metabolic and Cardiovascular Complications in HIV-Infected Patients: New Challenges for a New Age

Metabolic and Cardiovascular Complications in HIV-Infected Patients: New Challenges for a New Age

Hematologic abnormalities associated with simian immunodeficieny virus (SIV) infection mimic those in HIV infection

Studies of hematologic abnormalities in HIV-infected patients are confounded by a multitude of factors. A retrospective data analysis of simian immunodeficieny virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques (RM) of Indian origin was performed to determine the prevalence of hematologic abnormalities free of these confounds. Hematologic data from RM inoculated with SIV and without antiviral therapy were examined pre-inoculation, and throughout infection and the development of AIDS. Anemia, thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, eosinophilia, and neutropenia all increased in prevalence with SIV infection. Significant increases in prevalence for both neutropenia and neutrophilia were also detected in SIV-infected macaques. SIV-infected macaques also had lower lymphocyte counts and increased prevalence of lymphopenia compared with non-infected subjects. The prevalence of eosinophilia was significantly increased during SIV infection. Concordance of hematologic abnormalities during SIV infection of macaques with similar changes in HIV infection of humans suggests that, like in HIV infection, hematologic abnormalities are major complications of SIV infection.

Peroxisome Proliferator Activating Receptor Alpha and Gamma Polymorphisms and Metabolic Abnormalities in HIV-Infected Patients Receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: The ANRS CO8 APROCO-COPILOTE Study

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is associated with fat redistribution and metabolic disorders. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the association between peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)α and PPARγ polymorphisms, two genes involved in lipid metabolism and adipocyte differentiation, and elements of the metabolic syndrome, lipodystrophy, or carbohydrate metabolism abnormalities in patients receiving HAART. The frequency distribution of rare alleles for PPARα (L162V) and PPARγ (P12A and H449H) was compared using the chi square test in 363 HIV-1-infected patients classified according to the presence or absence of the metabolic syndrome after 48 months of follow-up on their first PI-containing regimen. The P12A rare g allele was present in 12% patients with normal glucose metabolism, 11% patients with impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose, and 35% patients with diabetes (p=0.014). The rare g allele for L162V was present in 14% of patients free of hypertriglyceridemia and in 7% patients with hypertriglyceridemia (p=0.04). The rare g allele for L162V was found in 15% of patients free of any sign of lipodystrophy and 8% with at least one sign of lipodystrophy (p=0.04) and the rare t allele for H449H was found in 14% of patients free of any sign of lipodystrophy and 23% of patients with at least one sign of lipodystrophy (p=0.05). There was no convincing association between any polymorphism of PPARα and PPARγ and each individual component of the metabolic syndrome, except for the relationship of the P12A polymorphism with diabetes. Confirmatory studies on a larger number of individuals are needed.

Hematological abnormalities in HIV-infected patients

Anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia are commonly observed in HIV-infected patients. This study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of cytopenias and their association with CD4 count. Furthermore, the association of hemoglobin concentration with mortality was also investigated. We reviewed the data of 701 HIV-infected patients followed at our institution. Blood cell counts, hemoglobin concentration, CD4 count, and viral load were recorded. We also recorded the mortality rate after 1 year in the groups with CD4 <200/μl and ≥ 200/μl according to hemoglobin concentration. Of the total patients, 37.5% had anemia; 61.1% (110/180) were in the low CD4 group and 29.4% (153/521) were in the high CD4 group (p<0.01). Mean neutrophil counts were 2.610 × 10(9)/l and 3.204 × 10(9)/l in the low CD4 and high CD4 groups, respectively (p<0.01); mean platelet counts were 218.639 × 10(9)/l and 234.807 × 10(9)/l for the low CD4 and the high CD4 groups, respectively (p=0.03). Patients whose hemoglobin concentration was below the median value had a higher death rate in both the low CD4 (14 vs. 4 deaths, p=0.013) and high CD4 (8 vs. 1 death, p=0.0158) groups. We found an association between CD4 count and hemoglobin level, neutrophil count, and platelet count, and that anemia was independently associated with a higher mortality.