Background: Viral Load (VL), CD4 T cells count and clinical signs are significant parameters for the decision of starting ARV Treatment (ART). The aim of this study is to determine the Viral Load profile of eligible patients on treatment in the centers according to the algorithm used in Kinshasa and the DRC. Methodology: Our sample consisted of 153 HIV-positive patients naïve of ART. All patients aged over 18 years were included in the study without gender discrimination. The determination of the VL was made at the laboratory of Molecular Biology of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Kinshasa using a previously described technique. Results: Of the 153 patients included in the study, 92 (60.1%) were women. The age of the patients was in the range 18 -65 years with a mean of 37 years. Most patients (91.5%) were clinical stage 3, while the rest (8.5%) were clinical stage 4 for HIV infection. The rates of CD4+ T lymphocytes were between 8 and 915 cells/mm 3 with a median value of 180 cells/mm 3 . Seventy nine patients (86.8%) had CD4 count below 500 cells/mm 3 . The median VL of patients is 5.68 log 10 RNA copies/ml. The minimum and maximum values are respectively 0.37 and 7.95 log 10 RNA copies/ml. Conclusion: The majority of patients (63.4%) in Kinshasa begin antiretroviral treatment with a poor prognosis. The Viral loads are usually very high in these patients and CD4 quite collapsed. Indeed, the median value of CD4 for the patients is 180 cells/mm 3 for the population, while the mean value of Viral Load is 5.48 log 10 RNA copies/ml.
Context: In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Antiretroviral (ART) drug coverage is still very low throughout the country. Hence, a large number of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) use traditional treatment made from plants to fight the HIV infection and the opportunistic infection associated to it. Objective: The objective of this work was to evaluate the clinical parameters; para clinical and socio-demographic studies at the beginning of treatment of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) who adhere to traditional treatment in Kinshasa. Methods: A cohort study was conducted in the Bonkoko center with a baseline of 3 months; 97 HIV positive patients were included randomly according to the specific inclusion criteria from January 11, 2016 to April 11, 2016. Clinical, biological and socio-demographic parameters were recorded in all patients at baseline. Results: A total of 97 patients were selected for the job. A total of 79 women (81%) and 18 men (19%) participated voluntarily. The mean age was 40.8 ± 10 years and the most represented age range was 36 -45 years. The mean Body Mass Index (BMI) is 23.07 ± 3.8 at baseline. The married dominated the sample while the dominant religion was the other religions called revival. The level of study that dominated the population was the secondary level. The mean biological values at baseline were as follows: Glycaemia 85 ± 19 mg/dl; Urea 22.5 ± 6.66 mg/dl; Creatinine 0.88 ± 0.22 mg/dl; Total cholesterol 169.6 ± 37.7 mg/dl; HDL 52.6 ± 15.1 mg/dl; LDL 96.4 ± 31.4 mg/dl; Triglyceride 102.8 ± 47 mg/dl; SGPT 23.3 ± How to cite this paper: Bulanda, B.I.,
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