Background: The risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) from some rural parts of Africa and Uganda isn’t well known. We assessed CVD risk factors, and used the lipid panel relationship to estimate the risk to CVD in persons with HIV infection on HAART in Gulu, Uganda.

Methods: A cross-sectional study in which data on demographic, lifestyle, diet and physical activity were collected using the WHO Stepwise approach to surveillance questionnaire, Biochemical measurements were tested using standard Biochemical methods on the Humastar 200 chemistry analyzer, Physical measurements; BMI and Hip to waist circumference were measured using standard methods, alongside the blood pressure. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze predictors of CVD risk factor.

Results: Mean HDL-C was 38.8 (SD 14.4) (CI: 36.8—39.8), mean T.CHOL was 187.8 (SD 42.3) (CI: 169—200), the mean TRIG was 130.2 (SD 7.5) (CI: 121—148) and the mean FBS was 4.5 (SD 1.1) (CI: 4.2—5.0). The most common risk factor was the low HDL-C of 40.4%, the HAART regiment that caused the most dyslipidemia was the Efavirenz based HAART regiment (TDF-3TCEFV), Hypertriglyceridemia of 5.9%, Hypercholesterolemia of 3.6%, Hyperglycemia of 2.9% and by the TC/HDL-C ratio; 33(9.9%) participants were at risk for CVD while by the TG/HDL-C ratio 61(18.3%) participants were at risk for CVD. Obese participants were 2(0.6%), combined hypertension was 11(3.3%), systolic hypertension 11(3.3%) diastolic hypertension 3(0.9%).

Conclusion and Recommendations: The risk factors for CVD exist at 9.8%(TC/HDL>1.49), 18.3%(TG/HDL>5) and a combined Risk of 28.1% lower than the risk in Mashinya et al., [14] so the Null hypothesis was rejected and Alternative accepted hence justifies clearly a considerable health burden that can possibly be reduced by increasing educational programs on CVD prevention for people on HAART. There is however a need to develop and evaluate a race/ethnicity-specific CVD risk estimation tool for HIV infected Africans and assessment at HAART initiation and follow-up alongside developing a testing Algorithm for lipid panel during monitoring for HAART