Relation between interleukin-6 concentrations and oxidative status of HIV infected patients with /or at risk of Kaposi disease in Yaounde.

Objective: To investigate the relation between interleukin-6 concentration and oxidative status of HIV infected patients with or at risk of Kaposi's disease in Yaoundé.

Methods: We conducted a two-months cross-sectional study on 87 consenting HIV infected patients followed at the Day Hospital of the Yaoundé Central Hospital. Serum/plasma obtained after centrifugation of blood collected in dry/EDTA tubes was used for the determination of Human Herpes Virus-8 antigen (HHV-8) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) by the ELISA technique, and that of oxidative stress markers: Malondialdehyde (MDA) reduced Glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity by spectrophotometry.