Haemorheologic and fibrinolytic activity in Nigerian HIV infected patients.

Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, especially those on antiretrovirals are at risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The haemorheologic and fibrinolgtic activity of treatment naïve Nigerian HIV-infected patients were investigated.
Methods: Blood was collected from 50 newly diagnosed treatment naïve HIV-infected patients and 50 apparently healthy HIV seronegative individuals that served as controls. Haematocrit values, plasma and serum viscosity, plasma fibrinogen concentration and euglobin lysis time were determined.
Result: The mean ± standard deviation of haematocrit value of HIV infected patients (31.70 ± 6.33%) was significantly lower (p<0.0001) than those of controls (39.50 ± 2.43%). The plasma serum viscosity, plasma fibrinogen concentration and euglobin lysis time of HIV-infected patients were significantly higher compared with those of controls (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: Treatment naive Nigerian HIV-infected patients have a defective blood flow and fibrinolytic system, which may predispose them to CVD.

Keywords
Haemorheology, Fibrinolytic activity, HIV, Cardiovascular disease, HIV Treatment naïve, Nigerian.