Abstract
Background
Diabetes is up to four times more common in HIV-infected individuals exposed to antiretroviral therapy. Haematological parameters are important indicators for the assessment and management of patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the correlations between biochemical and haematological parameters in type 2 diabetic patients living with HIV.
Methods
A total of 260 participants consisting of 100 HIV-positive and 160 HIV-negative diabetics. Blood samples were obtained from fasting subjects by venipuncture at the elbow. They were used to obtain plasma and serum after centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 15 minutes. Creatinine, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, magnesium, phosphorus, urea, uric acid and cystatin C, glycated haemoglobin, blood glucose and blood count were measured.
Results
The correlation between the biochemical and haematological profile showed that blood glucose correlated positively with white blood cell count (r=0.204, p=0.042), red blood cell count (r=0.216, p=0.031), neutrophil count (r=0.265, p=0.008), basophil count (r=0.229, p=0.022), monocyte count (r=0.271, p=0.006) and lymphocyte count (r=0.205, p=0.041). This correlation was negative for mean blood volume (r=-0.202, p=0.043). Phosphorus was negatively correlated with mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (r=-0.245, p=0.014) and monocyte count (r=-0.24, p=0.016), but positively correlated with eosinophil count (r=0.256, p=0.010).
Conclusion
Disturbances in the biochemical and haematological profiles were observed in diabetics living with HIV. The correlations found in these two associated chronic pathologies showed the link of blood glucose with many of haematological parameters.