Plasma Biochemical Parameters as Surrogate Prognostic Markers in HIV-1 Infected Patients

The depression of the immune system accompanied by different metabolic derangements which are worsened by secondary infections are responsible for morbidity and subsequent mortality in HIV-1 infected patients. While, the gold standard prognostic marker for the infection remains the CD4+T lymphocyte count, plasma biochemical markers are potential surrogate prognostic markers. Samples obtained from 100 consecutively diagnosed HIV-1 infected patients who were not on anti retroviral therapy and equal number of apparently healthy seronegative individuals as controls were analysed for urea, creatinine total protein, albumin, globulin and albumin: globulin ratio using kits obtained from Randox laboratorie, U.K. spectrophotometrically and Na+, K+ and HCO3 ions concentration using the ion selective electrode analyzer. obtainable from Hitachi, Japan. Compared to the controls, statistically significant differences were observed in the plasma concentrations of HCO3 (p<0.001) urea (p<0.005) creatinine (p<0.001), total protein (p<0.001), albumin (p<0.0001) globulin (p<0.001) and albumin: Globulin ratio (p<0.0001). However, no significant difference were observed in the Na+ and K+ ion concentrations with p values of 0.10 and 0.25, respectively. Those significantly different plasma biochemical parameters can therefore be useful surrogate prognostic markers for HIV-1 infections in resource limited settings.