Increased oxidative stress condition found in different stages of HIV disease in patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy in Umuahia (Nigeria).

Context: Effective diagnostic tools for management of HIV disease progression in Sub-Saharan Africa is inadequate considering the endemic nature of the infection in the region.

Objective: To elucidate the clinical implication of oxidative stress (measured as Malondialdehyde, MDA) as additional biomarker of HIV disease progression and its implication in HIV clinical management.

Materials And Methods: A total of 250 individuals were recruited for the study. FACScan cytometry and spectrophotometric methods were employed in assessing T-lymphocytes (CD3, CD4, CD8) and MDA respectively.

Results: MDA concentration increased significantly (P < 0.05) in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) subjects by 12.72% in category 1, 9.75% in III and in category II (4.63%) on comparison with non-HAART subjects. In subjects taking HAART, 22.2%, 56.3%, and 22.2% were found to be in category I, II and III, respectively, with a corresponding non-HAART values of 15.6%, 45.6% and 38.9%. However, Spearman's rank correlation (P < 0.001) statistics of MDA and HIV categories showed a negative correlation in all the categories (I, II and III).

Discussion And Conclusion: These findings suggest that MDA may be an additional clinical factor in assessing progression of HIV disease; however, necessary fortification of regimen with antioxidant may help reduce the high MDA concentration in the disease progression of the infection.