Abstract

Co-infection of hepatotropic virus such as Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) has been associated with a reduced survival rate and an increased risk of progression to severe liver disease. In Nigeria, information on this is sparse. This study was design to determine the impact of HIV/HBV co-infection on the coagulation parameters, platelet count (PLT), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), protein C (PC), protein S (PS) and lupus anticoagulant in a prospective cohort study of patients confirmed as HIV seropositive by Western blot analysis in University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Demographic data was obtained from 109 HIV patients, HBsAg was present in 14 (12.8%), males 10 (9.2%) and females 4 (3.6%). HIV/HBV co-infected patients had PLT, PC and PS lower than values in HIV mono infection (P ‹ 0.01). The mean values in the control subjects were higher compared to the HIV groups (P‹0.001). PT, APTT and LA mean values were higher in the HIV/HBV patients compared to the HIV mono infection (P ‹ 0.01) while the control subject mean values were lower compared to the HIV group (P ‹ 0.001). Lupus anticoagulant was significantly elevated in the HIV mono and HIV/HBV co-infected subjects. The deranged coagulation biomarkers in the HIV/HBV patients inform the need for routine screening of these haemostatic markers in our environment.

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