Abstract:

Background: Since its discovery has been causing a lot Ols related morbidity and mortality from the immune suppressive complications. The advent of ART has significantly reduced the mortality and morbidity from these HIV related communicable diseases, prolonging the life span of PLHA essentially comparable of HIV negative subjects however even with these positive ART effects; there are emerging morbidity and mortality from non-communicable complications including glucose metabolism disorders and hypertension. While these complications including glucose metabolism disorders and hypertension. While these complications could have serious clinical implications the literature on the magnitude of this problem is scarce in our setting. The objective of this study was therefore to determine the incidence, predictors and outcome of glucose metabolism disorders and hypertension among adult HIV positive patients on ART.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of the patients’ data was done by the STATA version 13 to determine the incidence, predictors and outcomes of GMD and hypertension in a cohort of HIV positive patients on ART for 5 and 3 years respectively.

Results: Among 269 patients enrolled in this study, the incidence of GMD and HTN were 17.4 vs. 12.3 per 100 person years and 18.2 vs. 7.7 per 100 person years in patients on ART for 3 years and 5 years respectively. The difference in occurrence of GMD and HTN was not statistically significant between the two study arms; however GMD were independently associated with the use of Pls and WHR >0.85 while development of HTN was independently associated with family history of hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and history of hypertension before ART, Though the incidence of GMD and HTN did not differ in these two study arms, yet they are still higher compared to HIV related communicable diseases. Additionally this sub group of patients is likely to experience more morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases. The current predictors could assist us in identifying the potential patients to improve their outcome on ART.

Conclusions: The incidence of GMD and HTN infected patients on ART is extremely high both among those who were initiated on ART in the past 3 years and among those on ART for more than 5 years ART. This suggests that GMD and hypertension should be ruled out at a point of initiation of ART, and that these once on ART these patients should be screened annually for GMD an HTN.