1.Effects Of First-Line Anti-Retroviral Therapy On Blood Coagulation Parameters Of HIV-Infected Patients Attending A Tertiary Hospital At Abuja, Nigeria
Idris Abdullahi Nasir ; Adebola Owolagba ; Abdurrahman Elfulaty Ahmad ; Muhammad Maimadu Barma ; Peter Omale Musa ; Mustapha Bakare ; Yakubu Ibrahim ; Dele Ohinoyi Amadu
The Malaysian Journal of Pathology 2016;38(2):103-109
Background: Blood coagulation abnormalities are common in persons infected with the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, few studies showed the association of these abnormalities
with anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Objective: This cross-sectional study investigated the effects of
ART on blood coagulation parameters of patients infected with HIV attending HIV special clinics
of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria. Material and
Methods: A total of 191 patients comprising 128 HIV subjects on ART (test subjects) and 63 other
HIV patients not on ART (control subjects) were included in the study. CD4+
lymphocyte counts,
platelet counts, prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time with kaolin (PTTK) of subjects
were determined using flow cytometry, automated hematology analyser and Quick one-stage methods
respectively. Results: Of the total test subjects, 21 (16.4%) were CD4 lymphopaenic, and the mean
CD4+
cell count for the test subjects was statistically higher than that of the control subjects (578
versus 322 cells/ mm3
) (p = 0.014). Eight (6.3%) of test subjects had prolong PTTK, and the mean
values of PT and PTTK were statistically not significant between test subjects and control subjects
(p = 0.358 and p= 0.141 respectively). Eight (6.3%) of test subjects had thrombocytopaenia, the
mean platelet count was significantly lower than that of the control subjects (238 versus 278.6 x
109
/L, p = 0.001), and also varied significantly with the duration of ART (p = 0.0086). Conclusion:
Findings from this study revealed ART decreased platelet counts of HIV-infected individuals, but
did not affect the PT and PTTK results.