Total antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in HIV-1 infected patients in a rural area of south western Nigeria.

Total serum antioxidant status (TAS) and lipid peroxidation were evaluated in 62 HIV-1 seropositive patients before the commencement of antiretroviral drug therapy. Twenty-four (24) age-marched and apparently healthy HIV-1 seronegative subjects were recruited as control subjects. HIV-1 seropositive patients were classified according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Criteria. The mean serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations of 5.58 +/- 0.99nmol/ml and 4.24 +/- 0.80nmol/ml were significantly elevated in HIV-1 infected patients with CD4+ count of <200 lym/mm3 and that of 200-499 lym/mm3 respectively when compared with the control which is 3.37 +/- 0.56nmol/ ml (P<0.001). Whereas when compared with control, the serum MDA concentration of 3.45 +/- 0.48nmol/ml in HIV-1 patients with CD4+ count of >500 lym/mm3 was not significant (P>0.05). In the intra groups comparison serum concentration of MDA were significantly elevated when compared with each other (P<0.001). The mean serum total antioxidant status (TAS) of 1.30 +/- 0.11mmol/L, 1.12 +/- 0.24 mmol/L and 0.95 +/- 0.17mmol/L of HIV- 1 seropositive patients with CD4+ count of >500 lym/mm3, 200-499 lym/mm3 and <200 lym/mm3 respectively were significantly reduced compared with 1.69 +/- 0.23mmol/L for the control group (P<0.001). Similarly in the intra groups comparison, serum concentration of TAS were significantly reduced when compared with each other (P<0.001). The weight of 54.81 +/- 5.13 Kg for HIV-I seropositive patients with CD4+ count of <200 lym/mm3 was significantly reduced when compared with 69.17 +/- 4.38Kg for the control (P<0.05). Our results clearly show that severe oxidative stress occurs in the serum of seropositive patients in comparison with controls, and increases significantly with the progression of disease, i.e. AIDS > symptomatics > asymptomatics > controls. The inclusion of antioxidants in the therapeutic approach in managing HIV- 1 seropositive patients will prevent the additional damage that free radicals could do to such patients.