Clinical and biological profile of people living with HIV / AIDS followed in the Infectious Diseases Service of the University Hospital of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Abstract

Objective
The objective of this study was to describe the clinical and biological profile of people living with HIV (PLHIV).
Methods
This was a retrospective study conducted at the University Clinics of Kinshasa (UCK) from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2014 on the clinical and biochemical profile. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22. Appropriate statistics were applied during data analysis. The Helsinki principles were respected.
Results
A total of 270 patients were included in the study. The mean age (standard deviation) was 45.7 ± 11.1 years (Extreme: 22 and 65) and the sex ratio (M / F) was 0.58. Forty percent of the patients were in WHO stage 4. Diarrhea (88.9%), vomiting (87%) and cough were the most common complaints. At WHO stage 4, cough (80.3%), weight loss (87%) and headache (24.4%) were more frequently encountered (p <0.05) and tuberculosis (35, 4%), oral candidiasis (24.4%) and meningeal cryptococcosis were the most frequently found opportunistic infections. Anemia was a comorbidity frequently associated with HIV. The means of total cholesterol and LDL-C were elevated at WHO AIDS stage 4.
Conclusion
The patients were middle aged without sex - overdistribution. The clinical picture was mainly diarrhea and weight loss; in stage 4, tuberculosis and anemia were the most common comorbidities and the mean total cholesterol and LDL-C were elevated.