Biological Profile of HIV-Positive Patients in Bangui, Central African Republic, in 2017

Abstract

Background : The biological profile of HIV-positive patients is essential for diagnosing treatment failure and the prognosis of infection. We determined the virological and immunological profiles and biological anomalies of HIV-positive people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Bangui, Central Afri-can Republic. Methods : We conducted an analytical, descriptive study be-tween 4 April and 30 September 2017 of all patients who had received ART for more than 12 months and who attended the Medical Analysis Laboratory of the Institut Pasteur in Bangui for a complete biological work-up, including viral load. A blood sample was taken for quantification of RNA HIV-1, CD4 lymphocytes and blood count in two tubes containing ethylenediamine te-traacetic acid, and another sample was taken in a dry tube for measurement of creatinine and transaminases. Results: The total population comprised 1748 patients, with a mean age of 38.7 years (±14.3; median, 41 years; range, 2 - 79 years); 33.3% of patients were between 40 and 49 years old. Females predo-minated (71.3%), for a sex ratio of 0.4. Immunological failure was observed in 20.2% of patients (CD4 < 200 cells/μL), and 44.5% of patients had a load of RNA HIV-1 ≥ 1000 copies/mL. The main haematological anomalies were anaemia (28.0%), leukopenia (26.7%), neutropenia (42.1%) and lymphopenia (27.2%). Blood creatinine was abnormal in 61.0% of patients, ALAT in 57.0% and ASAT in 66.9%. Conclusion: The abnormalities observed in this study concerned the haematopoietic system, the liver and the kidneys. As other or-gans and systems may be affected, periodic multidisciplinary biological and clinical follow-up is necessary for people living with HIV in order to improve their management.