Effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy [HAART] on body mass index [BMI], pcv, cd4+t cell count and albumin of HIV seropositive women in Nigeria

ABSTRACT

To establish the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy [HAART] on some parameters of HIV seropositive women in their reproductive ages in both follicular and luteal phases of their menstrual cycle Prospective and targeted for a particular group of HIV sero-positive women in a tertiary institution in Midwestern Nigeria. University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria. A target population of 100 HIV seropositive women of reproductive age [range 18-40 years, mean = 29 years] and 50 seronegative women of same age group [mean = 32 years] as control were recruited before the commencement of HAART therapy. All subjects and controls were monitored at three-monthly intervals for a period of nine months. The parameters that were examined included body mass index [BMI], CD4[+] T cell count, packed cell volume [PCV] and albumin in both follicular and luteal phases of their menstrual cycles. HAART significantly [p < 0.05] raised BMI, CD4[+/] T cell count, PCV and albumin in both phases of the study. These parameters were initially significantly decreased by HIV infection. HAART has demonstrated great promise in the management of HIV seropositive women. More studies are encouraged to determine how HAART can maintain its current high level of efficiency in these women