Prevalence and Pattern of Dyslipidemia among HIV Patients Receiving HAART in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

Background: Dyslipidemia is a recognized metabolic complication among people living with HIV receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). As survival improves with long-term antiretroviral treatment, lipid abnormalities are becoming increasingly important contributors to cardiovascular disease risk. This study assessed the prevalence and pattern of dyslipidemia among HIV patients receiving HAART at a Nigerian tertiary hospital and compared lipid parameters with HIV-negative controls. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. A total of 150 adults were recruited consecutively, comprising 90 HIV-positive patients receiving HAART and 60 apparently healthy HIV-negative controls. Serum lipid parameters, including total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and non-HDL cholesterol, were measured using standard enzymatic techniques. Dyslipidaemia was defined according to established clinical threshold values. Statistical comparisons were performed using independent samples t-tests and chi-square tests, with a p-value of < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Overall dyslipidemia was observed in 85.7% of HIV-positive participants receiving HAART. Hypercholesterolemia and low HDL-C were the most prevalent abnormalities, each occurring in 42.9% of participants, while elevated LDL-C was observed in 14.3%. No cases of hypertriglyceridemia were identified. Comparative analysis demonstrated significantly higher mean total cholesterol, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C levels, as well as significantly lower HDL-C levels, among HIV-positive participants compared with controls (p < 0.05). Overall dyslipidemia was also significantly more prevalent among HIV-positive participants. Conclusion: Dyslipidemia was highly prevalent among HIV patients receiving HAART, highlighting the need for routine lipid monitoring and integrated metabolic assessment in HIV care programs.