Research Article
Spectrum of Thyroid Abnormalities among Children
Living with HIV in Lagos, Nigeria
Adeseye Akinsete ,
1
Elizabeth Oyenusi,
2
Babatunde Odugbemi,
3
Tinuola Odugbemi,
4
and Edamisan Temiye
1
1
Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Lagos/Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
2
Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Lagos/Lagos University Teaching Hospital/Pediatric
Endocrinology Training Center for West Africa, Nigeria
3
Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
4
College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Correspondence should be addressed to Adeseye Akinsete; seye.akinsete@gmail.com
Received 21 November 2018; Revised 21 February 2019; Accepted 4 March 2019; Published 21 March 2019
Academic Editor: Massimo Tonacchera
Copyright © 2019 Adeseye Akinsete et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly
cited.
Tyroid disorders have been described in an adult population but are underreported in the pediatric population. Te aim of this
study was to determine the prevalence and describe the spectrum of thyroid abnormalities among HIV infected children on Highly
Active Antiretroviral Terapy (HAART) in Lagos, Nigeria. Tis was a cross-sectional study carried out at a teaching hospital with
an antiretroviral therapy (ART) center. Serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and free
thyroxine (fT4) were analyzed in 83 children living with HIV on HAART and 51 controls. Te prevalence of thyroid dysfunction
and correlation of fT3, fT4, and TSH with duration on HAART, age, CD4 count, and nutritional status were assessed. Tyroid
abnormalities were seen in 9.6% of the children living with HIV comprising subclinical hypothyroidism in 6%, euthyroid sick
syndrome in 2.4%, and overt hypothyroidism in 1.2% as compared to 2% subclinical thyroid disease among the controls (p= 0.15).
Hypothyroidism was correlated with CD4 count and viral load. None of the patients had clinical features of thyroid disease. Tyroid
abnormalities were more prevalent among children living with HIV and yearly screening with follow-up is advocated.
1. Introduction
Spectrum of yroid Abnormalities among Children Living
with HIV in Lagos, Nigeria. Te Human Immunodefciency
Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Defciency Syndrome
(AIDS) are one of the commonest causes of childhood
morbidity and mortality afecting an estimated two million
children worldwide. Sixty-seven percent of these afected
children reside in sub-Saharan Africa [1]. As at 2015, an
estimated number of 3.5 million people were living with
HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, (prevalence rate of 3.1%) with an
estimated 260,000 children [2]. Te initial approach to care
of afected individuals was palliative [3] but, with the use
of combination chemotherapy, there has been an improve-
ment in both immunologic and clinical response with
more individuals living for prolonged periods. Consequently,
HIV/AIDS has become a chronic condition requiring life-
long management [4–7].
Te thyroid gland is an important regulator of cellular
metabolism and growth, and dysfunction of the gland has
been implicated in suboptimal functions of organs and sys-
tems within the body. Te spectrum of thyroid dysfunction
has been documented but mainly with regard to populations
with HIV/AIDS outside sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) [8–10].
Te prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism among indi-
viduals living with HIV/AIDS has been documented to be
higher than in the general population and highest among
patients on HAART [11, 12]. Furthermore, the prevalence
of Graves’ disease has been reported to be higher among
patients with immune reconstitution syndrome [13]. Non-
thyroidal illness (sick euthyroid) has also been noticed to
be quite common.in advanced AIDS [14–16], Finally, overt
Hindawi
Journal of yroid Research
Volume 2019, Article ID 1096739, 6 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/1096739