Background: Data on lipid profile derangements induced by antiretroviral treatment in Africa are scarce. The aim of this\r\nstudy was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of lipid profile derangements associated with first-line highly\r\nactive antiretroviral therapy (ART) among Cameroonians living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.\r\nMethods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2009 and January 2010, and involved 138\r\nHIV patients who had never received ART (ART-naive group) and 138 others treated for at least 12 months with\r\nfirst line triple ART regimens that included nevirapine or efavirenz (ART group). Lipid profile was determined after\r\novernight fast and dyslipidemia diagnosed according to the US National Cholesterol Education Program III criteria.\r\nData comparison used chi-square test, Student t-test and logistic regressions.\r\nResults: The prevalence of total cholesterol = 200 mg/dl was 37.6% and 24.6% respectively in ART group and ARTnaive\r\ngroups (p = 0.019). The equivalents for LDL-cholesterol = 130 mg/dl were 46.4% and 21% (p = 0.001). Proportions\r\nof patients with total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio = 5 was 35.5% in ART group and 18.6% in ART-naive group (p =\r\n0.001). The distribution of HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides was similar between the two groups. In multivariable\r\nanalysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, CD4 count and co-infection with tuberculosis, being on ART was\r\nsignificantly and positively associated with raised total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TC/HDL cholesterol. The\r\nadjusted odd ratios (95% confidence interval, p-value) ART-treated vs. ART-na�¯ve was 1.82 (1.06-1.12, p = 0.02) for TC =\r\n200 mg/dl; 2.99 (1.74-5.15), p < 0.0001) for LDL-cholesterol = 130 mg/dl and 1.73 (1.04-2.89, p = 0.03) for TC/HDLcholesterol\r\n= 5.\r\nConclusions: First-line antiretroviral therapy that includes nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors is\r\nassociated with pro-atherogenic adverse lipid profile in people with HIV-1 infection compared to untreated HIVinfected\r\nsubjects in Yaounde. Lipid profile and other cardiovascular risk factors should be monitored in patients on\r\nsuch therapy so that any untoward effects of treatments can be optimally managed.
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