Metabolic abnormalities among HIV-infected patients: The rational of national health security for people living with HIV
In the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART), traditional risk factors for metabolic syndrome are presented as increasing age. In low- and middle-income countries, the restricted benefit package of national health security for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) does not facilitate the early detection of metabolic disorders. In order to assess the rational of national health security for metabolic abnormalities among people living with HIV (PLHIV), this retrospective study aims to determine the occurrence of metabolic abnormalities and its predicting factors. The study was approved by the hospital ethics committee and conducted at the internal medicine clinic, Pathum Thani Hospital, Thailand. Patients with HIV having had at least 1 year of first-line ART, and having their fasting glucose, fasting lipid profile, and blood pressure assessed before ART were recruited into the study. Those with any abnormal metabolic component prior to ART or absent history of ART were excluded. The metabolic abnormalities were defined as any of the following: elevated triglyceride, reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL), elevated blood pressure, elevated fasting glucose, or on drug treatment for these metabolic abnormalities. The occurrence of metabolic abnormalities was found in 102 of 340 patients (30.0%). Hypertension (11.4%) was the most common abnormality. Age became the single predictor of metabolic abnormalities (odds ratio [OR] = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00–1.06). Aging patients with HIV should be the target group for monitoring and treating metabolic abnormalities. The revision of the benefit package on metabolic abnormalities is urgently needed to promote a better quality of life.