ASSESSMENT OF ANTHROPOMETRIC INDICES, MICROELEMENTS AND CD4-COUNT IN ADULT-HUMAN IMMUNIDEFICIENCY VIRUS SUBJECTS AT NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, NNEWI AT ADVANCED STAGE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61841/gdfhyy90Keywords:
Human Immunodeficiency virus infection, Antiretroviral therapy, CD4 T-lymphocyte count, Trace elements, Anthropometric indicesAbstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to pose a substantial health burden, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where nutritional factors and micronutrient status play critical roles in immune function and disease trajectory. This case–control investigation evaluated anthropometric parameters, blood pressure indices, CD4 cell count, and selected trace elements among 70 HIV-positive adult males aged 18–60 years attending Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria. Participants were stratified based on duration of infection. Standardized procedures were employed to determine height, weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and serum concentrations of zinc, copper, and selenium. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 16.0, with statistical significance defined at p<0.05. Findings revealed a progressive and statistically significant rise in CD4 count with increasing duration of infection and exposure to antiretroviral therapy. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures demonstrated significant variations across duration categories, characterized by higher initial values and subsequent stabilization over time. Selenium levels differed markedly between groups, while zinc showed moderate statistical variation; copper levels did not demonstrate significant differences. Although BMI did not vary significantly across infection durations, the overall mean BMI suggested a predominance of overweight status. These results indicate that sustained antiretroviral therapy is associated with immune recovery and relative cardiovascular adjustment, whereas alterations in micronutrient status persist. Continuous assessment of nutritional and biochemical indicators may therefore enhance comprehensive care and long-term prognosis in adults living with HIV.
References
Sepkowitz KA. AIDS—The first 20 years. N Engl J Med. 2001; 344(23):1764–72.
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Report on the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic. Geneva: UNAIDS; 2016.
Nkwo PO. Prevention of mother to child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus: the Nigerian perspective. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2012; 2(1):56–65.
Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR, Cushman WC, Green LA, Izzo JL Jr, Jones DW, Materson BJ, Oparil S, Wright JT Jr, Roccella EJ. Seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Hypertension. 2003; 42(6):1206–52.
Bailin SS, Gabriel CL, Wanjalla CN, Koethe JR. Obesity and weight gain in persons with HIV. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2020; 17(2):138–50.
Alebel A, Demant D, Petrucka PM, Sibbritt D. Weight change after antiretroviral therapy initiation among adults living with HIV in Northwest Ethiopia: a longitudinal data analysis. BMJ Open. 2022;12(2):e055266.
Melese ST, Selam BG, Beakal ZT, Tefera BL. Undernutrition and its predictors among people living with HIV/AIDS attending antiretroviral therapy clinic in Jimma University Specialized Hospital. Int J Nutr Metab. 2017; 9(8):67–74.
Thapa R, Amatya A, Pahari DP, Bam K, Newman M. Nutritional status and its association with quality of life among people living with HIV attending public ART sites of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. AIDS Res Ther. 2015;12(1):1–10.
Yuh B, Tate J, Butt AA, Crothers K, Freiberg MS, Leaf D, Rimland D, Rodriguez Barradas MC, Justice AC. Weight change after antiretroviral therapy and mortality. Clin Infect Dis. 2015; 60(12):1852–9.
Ibeh IN, Abouo AM, Isitua CC. Studies on trace element metabolism in HIV/AIDS disease in Nigeria. Prime J Microbiol Res. 2012; 2(2):86–92.
Ejiofor DC, Edward EB, Alisi PN, Raymond AU, Earnest NE, Amah CI, Obi AU, Samson A. Evaluation of plasma trace elements levels in HIV patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy attending Federal Medical Center Owerri, Imo State. FUDMA J Sci. 2025;9(4):187–9.
Rayman MP. Selenium and human health. Lancet. 2012; 379(9822):1256–68.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
