Cytopenias in Treatment-naive HIV Patients: A Comparison of Turkey and Somalia

Objective:Cytopenias are common complications in HIV-positive individuals, generally correlated with the stage of the disease. Prevalence of cytopenias depends on the stage of HIV infection, gender, race, geographic location, and nutritional status. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of cytopenias in treatment-naive HIV infected patients in two ethnically, geographically and socio-economically different countries, Turkey and Somalia.Method:The study participants were all newly diagnosed adult HIV-positive patients, not on any antiretroviral treatment. The exclusion criteria included being at the age of <18 years, the presence of hematologic and oncologic disorders, having HIV-positivity with malignancy, chronic renal failure, hepatic disease, pregnancy, acute illness (i.e., pneumonia, or gastroenteritis), opportunistic infections and congenital hematological disorders.Results:In our study, the most common type of cytopenia was normocytic normochromic anemia. Anemia was significantly more common among Somalia patients than their Turkish counterparts. The second common hematological abnormality was leucopenia among Somalian patients and thrombocytopenia among Turkish patients. Leucopenia was rare in Turkish patients.Conclusion:The hematological findings of our study have implications for the selection of antiretroviral drugs and other agents in HIV-positive individuals and also in monitoring the development of side effects. These results vary between countries with socio-economic and geographical differences.