Laboratory test features of newly diagnosed adult HIV-infected patients in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

Objective: In a sub-Saharan African population of adults beginning care for HIV infection, we sought to describe some laboratory features and their correlation with disease progression. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed pretreatment laboratory records of recently diagnosed adults (Elisa test) beginning care at the Internal Medicine department of Yalgado Ouedraogo University Hospital between June 2009 and August 2010. The values have been classified according to WHO standards. Results: During the study period, 177 patients were newly diagnosed as HIV-positive. Among them, 144 (81.4%) had CD4 counts below 350 cells/mL. The mean hemoglobin level was 10.3 +/- 2.1 g/dL for women (n = 94) and 11.2 +/- 2.8 g/dL for men (n = 67, p = 0.028), and 113 (71.1%) had anemia, 12 of them severe (7.5%). Anemia and lymphopenia were significantly correlated with a low CD4 count (p = 0.001 and 0.003 respectively). Six patients (3.4%) also had type 2 diabetes. Total cholesterol was normal in all patients, and 8 (10.4%) had hypertriglyceridemia. Conclusion: Hematopoietic, glycemic and lipid disorders seem relatively common in untreated black patients with HIV infection. A low CD4 count appears to predict hematopoietic cell deficits.