title: High levels of Zinc-α-2-Glycoprotein among Omani AIDS patients on combined antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the levels of zinc-α-2-glycoprotein (ZAG) among Omani AIDS patients receiving combined antiretroviral therapy (cART).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 80 Omani AIDS patients (45 males and 35 females), average age of 36 years, who were receiving cART at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Muscat, Oman, were tested for the levels of ZAG. In addition, 80 healthy blood donors (46 males and 34 females), average age of 26 years, attending the SQUH Blood Bank, were tested in parallel as a control group. Measurement of the ZAG levels was performed using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ZAG levels were found to be significantly higher among AIDS patients compared to the healthy individuals (P=0.033). A total of 56 (70%) of the AIDS patients were found to have higher levels of ZAG and 16 (20%) AIDS patients were found to have high ZAG levels, which are significantly (P>0.031) associated with weight loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ZAG levels are high among Omani AIDS patients on cART and this necessitates the measurement of ZAG on routine basis, as it is associated with weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Sidgi Syed Anwer
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hasson
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Mohammed Saeed
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al-Balushi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Muzna Hamed
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Al Yahmadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Juma Zaid
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Al-Busaidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Elias Antony
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Said
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Mohammed Shafeeq
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Talal Abdullah
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sallam
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Mohammed Ahmad
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Idris
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Ali Abdullah
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Jabri
keywords: AIDS; Combined antiretroviral therapy; Levels; Oman; Patients; Zinc-α-2-glycoprotein