Scientific Research and Essays Vol. 2 (8), 315-318, August 2007          
ISSN 1992-2248 © 2007 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Demographic pattern and haematological profile in people living with HIV/AIDS in a university teaching hospital

Amballi, A. A.¹*, Ajibola, A.², Ogun, S. A.³, Ogunkolo, O. F.², Salu, L. O.⁴, and Oritogun, K. S.⁴ and Oyegunle, V. A.¹

¹Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.

²Department of Physiology, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.

³Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo College of Health Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.

⁴Centre for Research in Reproductive Health, Sagamu, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: skylark_hospital@yahoo.com.

Accepted 30 July, 2007

The pandemic of HIV/AIDS remains a major public health concern. It continues to spread everyday, and as such, efforts should be made to achieve a screening or monitoring method that is affordable and accessible, especially in the resource poor settings. This retrospective study investigated the demographic pattern and haematological profile of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Records of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) attending the clinic at the University Teaching Hospital over a five-year period were retrieved and reviewed. A total of 162 patients (PLWHA) were involved in the study and their demographic pattern as well as haematological profile were reviewed. The results of the study indicated that majority (75%) of the people living with HIV/AIDS were within the age group 20 - 49 years and belonged to the low socio-economic group. Aneamia (74%), leucopenia (16%), and lymphopenia (24%) were the haematological parameters shown by the study. A positive correlation was also established between the absolute lymphocyte count and the CD4 Count (r = 0.27, P < 0.05). It is possible that absolute lymphocyte count could be proposed as a useful tool in screening for HIV/AIDS or to monitor the disease progression especially in resource poor areas.

Key words: Demography, haematological profile, HIV/AIDS patients.