Fasting lipid profile and atherogenic indices among HIV patients at Alex-Ekwueme university teaching hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly improved survival among individuals living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This is a case-control, cross-sectional study, designed to determine fasting lipid profile and atherogenic indices among HIV-positive patients on ART. A total of 120 participants were recruited, comprising 60 HIV-positive adults on ART and 60 age- and sex-matched HIV-negative controls. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were estimated using colorimetric methods, LDL-C was calculated using the Friedewald formula. Atherogenic indices (AI): Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), Castelli Risk Index-I (CRI-I), and Castelli Risk Index-II (CRI-II) were derived from lipid parameters. Results showed significantly higher triglyceride levels (1.68 ± 0.22 mmol/L vs. 1.22 ± 0.31 mmol/L; p< 0.001) and lower HDL-C levels (1.08 ± 0.13 mmol/L vs. 1.45 ± 0.24 mmol/L; p<0.001) among HIV-positive participants compared to controls. Total cholesterol and LDL-C were significantly lower in HIV-positive subjects (p<0.001). AI showed high levels of CRI-II and AIP in the HIV-positive compared to control. All the AI showed a negative correlation with HDL, and AIP showed a positive correlation with TG (p< 0.001). This study showed that HIV patients on ART exhibit dyslipidemia that is not obvious using routine lipid parameters which may expose the patients to atherogenic risk.