Changes in Serum Proteins and Creatinine levels in HIV Infected Nigerians

Immune dysregulation in terms of hypergammaglobulinaemia and hypogammaglobulinaemia was part of definition of immunodeficiency that characterized AIDS. This results in either raised level of total plasma/serum protein or low level of plasma/serum protein depending on which component of immune dysregulation predominates. This study examined the level of total serum proteins and globulins in HIV infected Nigerians. 64 patients with HIV infection and 10 apparently healthy subjects were recruited from 3 hospitals in Lagos Metropolis. They were examined for the presence of TB and malaria. Serum total protein, albumin and creatinine levels were determined using commercially available kits while the globulin level was computed. Level of immunodeficiency was also determined by CD4+ cell count, using the FACS count method. Data obtained from the patients were compared with values obtained from 10 healthy controls; using appropriate statistical tests on EPI-INFO V 6.0. Results showed that hypergammaglobulinaemia is the major immune dysregulation found with globulin level of 7.4g/d1 as compared with 2.9g/d1 in healthy control though it was not statistically significant. Total serum protein was also higher in HIV infected patients than the controls. The serum globulin was found to correlate negatively with CD4 cell count (r = -0.28, P = 0.0067). Serum creatinine appears not to differ significantly between control and infected patients although the creatinine levels has a positive correlation to plasma globulin levels (r = 0.45, p = 0.001). In conclusion hypergammaglobulinaemia was found to be common in HIV infected Nigerians. This was associated with raised level of plasma creatinine. KEY WORDS: Serum proteins, Creatinine, Albumin, Globulin and HIV Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol.3(2) 2004: 69-7