HIV infection and hepatic enzymes abnormalities: A hospital based study among the HIV infected women of India

Abstract

Introduction: Globally HIV infection has become a serious public health problems as it is responsible for millions of deaths every year and the women are the most vulnerable to HIV infection in the developing and underdeveloped countries. The liver enzymes alteration is a useful indicator of the HIV severity of the body. This study was designed to find the effect of CD4 count and nutritional status on liver enzymes among HIV+ and HIV- women living in West Bengal. Materials and Methods: This hospital based cross sectional study was performed among 97 women at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital, Midnapore, India. Blood samples were collected from the participants to determine CD4 count, Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), and alkaline phosphates (ALP). Anthropometric measurements were taken using the standard techniques. Results: HIV- women (20.42±1.763 kg/m2 ) were significantly heavier (t=4.172; P<0.001) than the HIV+ one (18.52±2.63 kg/m2 ). Similarly the HIV- women (995.92±100.24 cells/µl) had higher level of CD4 than the HIV+ women (374.22±185.66 cells/µl) at significant level (t=20.459; P<0.001). The Odd ratio indicated that the elevated SGPT, SGOT and ALP were 1.250, 1.520 and 14.400 times higher among the HIV+ than HIV− women. Discussion: HIV-infected women are at a greater risk of abnormal liver function and this abnormality increases with the severity of the disease condition.