Background: The impact of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
infection on the respiratory system of Africans has been little
studied. This study aimed to determine the pattern of respiratory
symptoms and ventilatory functions in HIV infected Nigerians.
Methods: In this cross sectional study, Respiratory symptoms frequency,
Forced vital capacity (FVC), Forced expiratory volume in one second
(FEV 1 ), FEV 1 /FVC ratio, Forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75%
of FVC, were determined in 100 HIV positive subjects and compared with
values in 100 HIV negative controls. Results: HIV positive patients had
significantly more respiratory symptoms and lower ventilatory function
tests values compared to the matched controls (p<0.05). HIV patients
with at least one respiratory symptom and those with CD4 count less
than 200cells/μl had lower ventilatory function values than their
counterparts. 32% of the HIV patients had restrictive ventilatory
functional impairment. (p<0.05). Using regression analysis, factors
like HIV status, CD4 count and presence of respiratory symptoms were
found to be associated with impairment in ventilatory functions.
Conclusions: HIV infected patients had more frequent respiratory
symptoms and lower ventilatory function values. Further lung function
studies and CT scanning in HIV positive patients especially in those
with respiratory symptoms are indicated