title: Lipid profile changes by high activity anti-retroviral therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Study of the lipid profile in patients infected with HIV treated with different combinations of high activity anti-retroviral therapy (HAART).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study of the lipid profile in patients undergoing HAART. The study analyzes the evolution of concentrations of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDLc) and HDL-cholesterol (HDLc) in a period of at least 3 years of treatment. From a total of 750 clinical cases analyzed in Hospital Joaquim Urbano (Oporto, Portugal) 124 patients were selected for this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 3 years of treatment, we observed the development of dyslipidaemia by increases in TG (17%), TC (29%) and LDLc (9%), particularly in patients treated with a combination of drugs which included protease inhibitors (PI). Moreover, the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) were associated with better lipid profile. The increase of 46% in HDLc was the most surprising finding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that patients with HAART have a more atherogenic lipidic profile with increased TC, LDLc and TG levels. Since the effectiveness of NNRTI is similar to that of PI, but with a smaller atherogenic profile, it should be the first choice drug to be selected in the HIV treatment.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Oporto University, Oporto, Portugal.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sarmento-Castro
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rebelo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D014280:Triglycerides