Vol. 8, Issue 2, Part A (2025)
The epidemiology of high blood pressure in people with HIV/AIDS in resource-limited and conflict-affected settings
Charles Kahindo Kangitsi, Charles-Lwanga Bandima, Larrey Kasereka Kamabu, Albert Yemba Baruani, Dany Barwamire Kabesha, François Polepole Maheshe, Serge Ibula Ntamusimwa and Zacharie Tsongo Kibendelwa
Introduction: HIV infection is associated with systemic inflammation, which in part involves activation of the innate and adaptive immune defense systems, thus initiating the genesis of arterial hypertension. The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with high blood pressure among People Living with HIV in the city of Goma.
Methods: Our research was carried out in the province of North Kivu, in the city of Goma in the three hospital facilities involved in the care of People with HIV. It is an analytical cross-sectional study that focused on people with HIV attending during the period from June 1, 2023 to June 1, 2024. The selection of patients was consecutive and exhaustive.
Results: The prevalence of high blood pressure in our study population (54.3%) among people with HIV/AIDS, of whom 11.2% had stage 1 high blood pressure, 8.1% had stage 2 and 35.0% had stage 3. Alcohol consumption and smoking were factors more associated with the presence of high blood pressure in people with HIV/AIDS than in non-hypertensives, with a statically significant difference (p<0.005). For other factors such as the presence of DS, the notion of ATCD of hypertension, overweight, taking ARVs and low CD4 levels were also found to be statistically significantly associated with the presence of high blood pressure in people with HIV/AIDS (P<0.005).
Conclusion: HIV with low CD4 counts is exactly a risk factor for developing high blood pressure in the HIV-exposed population.
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