Oluboyo AO. et al. / International Journal of Community Health Nursing, 2014;1(1):34-39. 34 International Journal of Community Health Nursing Journal homepage: www.mcmed.us/journal/ijchn EFFECT OF ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUG THERAPY ON IRON STATUS, URIC ACID, CD4+T-CELLS AND WEIGHT OF HIV SEROPOSITIVE SUBJECTS Oluboyo AO 1 , Odogwu OC 1 , Oluboyo BO 2 ,Ihim AC 1 ,IbeNC 1 , Nnodim JK 3 , Ogenyi SI 1 ,Akulue JC 1 ,Ezekwueme EN, 1 Onyemelukwe AO 1 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, College of Health Sciences, NnamdiAzikiwe University, Nnewi Campus. 2 Institute of Human Virology, NnamdiAzikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi. 3 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Imo State University Owerri, Nigeria. ABSTRACT Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) /Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is one of the pandemic infections that ravage humans. HIV/AIDS diseases progress with decrease in weight, CD4+T cells count is lowered resulting to the production of uric acid which chelates the available iron leading to anemia. The use of antiretroviral agents further complicates the biochemical changes that take place.Methods: The study investigated the iron status, uric acid, CD4+T-cells and weight of HIV seropositive subjects and the effects of antiretroviral therapy on the parameters. A total number of 200 subjects between the ages of 20-65years were investigated out of which 20 subjects were HIV negative and they serve as the control. The remaining 180 subjects were grouped into six groups of 30 subjects per group depending on their antiretroviral drug combination. Serum iron and total iron binding capacity were estimated using commercial kit by TECO Laboratories while the uric acid level was estimated using kit by RANDOX Ltd, United Kingdom. CD4+Tcells were determined using flow cytometry. The weight was measured using high sensitive weighing balance.Results: This study revealed significant differences in the mean levels of total iron binding capacity (TIBC), iron, uric acid CD4+ T- cells and weight of HIV seropositive subjects when compared control whereas there was no significant difference when the mean levels of each of the drug combinations were compared with those not on antiretroviral therapies.Conclusion: Serum iron, total iron binding capacity uric acid, CD4+ T-cells count and weight should be assessed during HIV infection and during the use of antiretroviral therapy as these may predict HIV disease progression and treatment assessment. Key Words: Human immunodeficiency virus, CD4+T-cells, antiretroviral therapy, iron, total iron binding capacity, uric acid, weight INTRODUCTION HIV is one of the pandemic infections that ravage human, it infects primarily the vital cells in the human immune system such as helper T-cells (specifically CD4+ T cells), macrophages, and dendrites, [1] thereby leading to low levels of CD4+ T-cells. HIV infects about 0.6% of the world'spopulation [2].UNAIDS and the WHO estimated that AIDS killed more than 25 million people between 1981, when it was first recognized, [3] and 2005. In 2009, AIDS claimed an estimated 1.8 million lives, down from a global peak of 2.1 million in 2004, approximately 260,000 children died of AIDS [4] in 2009. In Nigeria, an estimated 3.6 percent of the population is Corresponding Author Oluboyo AO Email:-aooluboyo@hotmail.com Article Info Received 12/02/2014; Revised 16/02/2014 Accepted 29/03/2014