Haematological Changes in HIV Subjects Receiving Antiretroviral Treatment in Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is connected with a wide range of haematological abnormalities. The use of antiretroviral drugs can have positive or negative changes in the haematological parameters. This study aimed to determine red cell indices and a reticulocyte count of HIV- patients taking antiretroviral treatment and those not yet been placed under antiretroviral treatment.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at Enugu state university of Science and Technology teaching hospital (ESUTH) in Enugu, Nigeria from June to November 2020. It was a case-control study. The study population was 60 subjects consisting of 40 (18 males and 22 females) HIV subjects under antiretroviral treatment (ART) and twenty (8 males and 12 females) HIV patients who are not under ART with an age range of 15-60 years respectively. Also, 28 healthy subjects were used as control. The Haemoglobin (HGB), Packed cell volume (PCV), Red cell count (RBC), Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), Mean cell volume (MCV), Mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Reticulocytes count (RC) Red cell distribution width- standard deviation (RDW-SD), Red cell distribution width-coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status of the study subjects were determined.

Results: The results show a significantly increased level of PCV, HGB, MCV and RBC in HIV- subjects under antiretroviral treatment compared to those not under antiretroviral treatment (p<0.001). There was a significant decrease in PCV, HGB, RBC and RDW-CV of HIV subjects not under antiretroviral treatment compared to control subjects (p<0.001). Moreover, there was a significant decrease in MCHC (p=0.004) and RDW-CV (p<0.001) of HIV- subjects under antiretroviral treatment compared to control subjects.

Conclusion: There was a statistically significant decrease in MCHC, RDW-CV, PCV, HGB and RBC of HIV- subjects under antiretroviral treatment and HIV subjects not under antiretroviral treatment compared to control subjects. Packed cell volume HGB, MCV and RBC were also found to be higher in HIV- subjects under antiretroviral treatment compared to those not under antiretroviral treatment.