PURPOSE: to investigate the effect of antiretroviral drugs on the lipid metabolism in HIV-infected pregnant women. METHODS: a prospective study was conducted on 57 pregnant women. The women were divided into three groups: ZDV group, consisting of 20 HIV-infected women taking ZDV; TT group, consisting of 25 HIV-1-infected women on triple antiretroviral treatment (ZDV + 3TC + NFV), and control group, consisting of 12 pregnant women considered to be normal from a clinical and laboratory viewpoint. Demographic and anthropometric data were homogeneous. Patients with a personal and family history of hyperlipidemia were excluded. Blood samples were obtained for the determination of fasting lipids (total cholesterol, LDL and HDL, and triglycerides) at four periods during pregnancy (1st = 14-20 weeks; 2nd = 21-26 weeks; 3rd = 27-32 weeks and 4th = 33-38 weeks). Data were analyzed statistically using the nonparametric chi², Friedman and Kruskal-Wallis tests . RESULTS: the use of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy induced no difference in total or HDL cholesterol but caused an increase from 76.5 and 84 mg/dL to 96 and 105 mg/dL in the concentration of the LDL fraction along gestation in ZDV and TT groups, respectively (p<0.01). A positive significant association was observed between triglycerides and viral burden in the ZDV group (r: 0.534; p=0.015). CONCLUSION: Antiretroviral agents during pregnancy increase serum LDL-colesterol levels. The risk of pregnancy regarding potentiation of long-term antiretroviral effects on lipid metabolism, remains to be established.
Antiretroviral drugs; HIV-1 infection; Infections in pregnancy; Lipid metabolism
