ABSTRACT
Background: HIV infection is a risk factor for a variety of endocrine problems. Objectives:This study investigated the body mass index (BMI), Systolic blood pressure (SBP), Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and serum cortisol level as stress factor/index symptomatic HIV/AIDS male subjects on ART who are negative to malaria parasite in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 274 adult male participants aged between 18 and 60 (42 ±13) years were randomly recruited at the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) Centre in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital and grouped based on WHO criteria for staging HIV into symptomatic HIV (stage 11) infected male partici-pants on ART (A: n=69), Symptomatic HIV subjects not on ART (B: n= 69), Asymptomatic HIV positive subjects (C: n= 68) and HIV seronegative subjects (D: n= 68). Blood samples were collected from the participants for the determi-nation of HIV status by immunochromatography and HIV confirmation by Western Blot. Enzyme-Linked Immuno-sorbent Assay (ELISA) was used to assay for cortisol level. Results: The results showed a significantly increased BMI and decreased mean serum cortisol level in HIV/AIDS seropositive participants on ART than in those, not on ART (p<0.05). Also, the BMI and mean serum cortisol level were significantly decreased and increased respectively inHIV/AIDS seropositive participants not on ART than in Asymptomatic HIV positive subjects and control respec-tively (p<0.05). However, the mean SBP and DBP did not differ significantly between the groups studied (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed a decreased stress index in HIV/AIDS subjects on ART with hypercortisolism and lower BMI in symptomatic HIV participants, not on ART.