Haptoglobin phenotypes with weak antioxidant capacity increase risk factors of cardiovascular disease in Ghanaian HIV‐infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy

Objective Highly active antiretroviral therapy ( HAART ) has considerably reduced HIV / AIDS ‐related morbidity and mortality; however, the therapy has been associated with the development of cardiovascular disease ( CVD ), and genetic predisposition factors may aggravate disease outcome. This study was aimed at investigating the relationship between haptoglobin phenotypes and risk factors of CVD in HIV patients. Methods A total of 105 HIV sero‐positive patients on HAART and 75 HIV ‐infected HAART ‐naïve individuals were enrolled in the study. Socio‐demographics and clinical characteristics of the participants were obtained using a well‐structured questionnaire. Lipid profile, lactate dehydrogenase ( LDH ) and haptoglobin (Hp) phenotypes were analysed from serum whiles haemoglobin (Hb) level, CD 4 + cell count and HIV viral RNA load were determined using whole blood. Results Atherogenic index of plasma ( AIP ) was significantly higher in patients on HAART than the naïve group ( P  < 0.05). Age, BMI , visceral fat, systolic blood pressure LDH and lipid variables strongly and positively correlated with AIP ( P  < 0.05), with the exception of HDL ‐c ( P  < 0.001) which showed a negative correlation. HAART was associated with hypertension ( χ 2  = 4.33, P  = 0.037), hypercholesterolaemia ( χ 2  = 10.99, P  < 0.001), elevated LDL ‐c ( χ 2 = 10.30, P  < 0.001) and decreased HDL ‐c ( χ 2  = 3.87, P  = 0.09). Hp2‐2 and Hp0 collectively was strongly associated with hypertension ( OR  = 2.54, P  = 0.011), obesity ( OR  = 5.97, P  < 0.001) and hypercholesterolaemia ( OR  = 2.99, P  < 0.001). Conclusion HIV / AIDS patients on HAART expressing Hp phenotypes with weak antioxidant capacity have an increased risk of developing CVD .