Correlation of Liver Function Tests with HIV/AIDS in North Indian Population

Liver function tests (LFTs) are a major indicator for assessing the hepatic condition. HIV/AIDS affect the whole body’s system in a progressive manner which deteriorates various metabolic functions. This preliminary work is aimed to assess the effect of HIV/AIDS on liver function parameters including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanineamino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum albumin (ALB), bilirubin total (Bil-T) and bilirubin direct (Bil-D) in North India. A total of 317 human blood samples of normal and HIV +ve subjects (age 18-49 years) from two locations in North India (Punjab and Rajasthan) were obtained during September, 2010 to June, 2011. All samples were subjected to biochemical analysis. The serum concentration of hepatic enzymes AST, ALT and ALP increases significantly (p<0.001) in HIV subjects as compared to normal subjects in both the states. The activity of these enzymes is further elevated in AIDS subjects in both the states. The serum concentration of ALB protein decreases significantly (p<0.001) in HIV and AIDS subjects as compared to normal subjects from both the states. Similar results were obtained in all age groups formed in the present study. The serum concentration of Bil-T and Bil-D reveals a gradual increase in HIV subjects as compared to normal subjects in all the three age groups. However this trend reverses in AIDS subjects where Bil-T and Bil-D shows marginal decrease in their concentration. The present investigation reveals that the deviations in AST, ALT, ALP and ALB are significantly correlated with the HIV +ve infection and its progression to AIDS in the blood samples from different subjects considered in the analysis. Further, no significant differences were observed in the various biochemical parameters, when HIV +ve subjects from the two states are compared in the present study. These results can be of significant importance in future studies on LFTs, particularly in resource limited settings. Keywords-Liver function tests; AST; ALT; ALP; ALB; HIV; AIDS; North India.