A Baseline Studies on the Nutritional Interplay between HIV Drugs and Kidney, Liver and Heart Indices in Patients Receiving HIV Treatment in North-East Nigeria

Abstract

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) \nhave shown impressive improvement and death rates have drastically reduced, \neven though complications still exist. This research carried out a baseline \nstudy to determine the nutritional interplay between HIV-drugs and kidney, \nliver, and heart indices among subjects undergoing HIV treatment and attending the Medical Out-Patient Department of a Federal Medical Center in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria, using a sample size of 50 individuals both male \nand female, who have been shown to be HIV positive and have been on ART for \nover 12 months. Anthropometric data was collected in \ntriplicate, two from patients’ file, \nand one was measured directly and the average was obtained. The electrolytes were determined by the colorimetric method while total protein and albumin in blood \nconcentration were determined by spectrophotometric method, but globulin and \nA/G ratio were determined by calculation. TC \nwas determined using Spectrophotometric \nmethod while HDL was determined after precipitation of LDL with \nphosphotungstate and magnesium were calculated from Friedwaldis formular, and TG was measured using the \ncolorimetric enzymatic method. The \nresults showed that the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure which were 119.9 mmHg ± \n17.5, and 76. 6 mmHg ± 10.1 respectively, were with the range of the reference values. \nThe mean body mass index was 25.1 ± 4.9; also within range of the reference \nvalue. Major indices from the liver function test were mean ALT which was 36.5 \n± 29.4 with a reference value of 7 - 55 U/L; \nAST was 40.0 ± 32.3, with a reference value of 8 - 48 U/L. The mean value for albumin was 4.6 ± 7.1 with a reference range of 3.5 - 5.0 g/dl, \nthese values also were within the reference range values. The electrolyte test \nshowed all other electrolytes to be \nwithin the reference range values except for Zinc which was 19.5 μmol/L, \nwith a normal range of 70 - 100 μmol/L and magnesium which was found to be 0.7 mEq/L, with a normal \nrange of 1.5 - 2.0 mEq/L; Zinc and magnesium play vital roles in over 300 enzymatic \nreactions, and are known to be important in the immune response. Shortfalls in these minerals could compromise the patients’ \nrecovery process and place them at risk of hearts conditions such as arrhythmia or heart attack among many other conditions. \nThere is a need for an immediate review of these treatments in the direction of Zinc and \nmagnesium, either by supplementation or by diet therapy. HIV patients \nundergoing ART should be placed under strict Zinc and magnesium-rich \ndiet to avert untimely death among these patients. The controlled study should be done to ascertain the best approach to quell \nthe residue of malnutrition in these patients in order to further improve their \nnutritional status.