Fasting blood glucose and insulin sensitivity are unaffected by HAART duration in Cameroonians receiving first-line antiretroviral treatment

Aims. - This study assessed the relationship between highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) duration and cardiometabolic disorders in HIV-infected Cameroonians. Methods. - HIV-infected Cameroonians aged 21 years or above were cross-sectionally recruited at the Yaounde Central Hospital, a certified HIV care centre, and their anthropometry, body composition (impedancemetry), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and lipid levels, and insulin sensitivity (IS; short insulin tolerance test) were measured. Results. - A total of 143 participants with various durations of HAART [treatment-naive (n=28), 1-13 months (n=44), 14-33 months (n=35) and 34-86 months (n=36)] were recruited. They were mostly women (72%), and had a mean age of 39.5 (SD: 9.8) years. Half (52%) were using a stavudine-containing regimen. There was a significant trend towards a positive change in body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio with increasing duration of HAART (all P = 0.02). Systolic (P = 0.04) and diastolic (P = 0.03) blood pressure, total cholesterol (P = 0.01), prevalence of hypertension (P = 0.04) and hypercholesterolaemia (P = 0.007) were also significantly increased with HAART duration, whereas triglycerides, FBG and IS were unaffected. Clustering of metabolic disorders increased (P = 0.02 for >= 1 component of the metabolic syndrome and P = 0.09 for >= 2 components) with HAART duration. Conclusion. - HAART duration is associated with obesity, fat distribution, blood pressure and cholesterol levels in HIV-infected Cameroonians, but does not appear to significantly affect glucose metabolism. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.