Hematological Derangement in Adult Male HIV/AIDS Patients and Their Relationship with the CD4+ Counts: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Hematological abnormalities are among the most common complications in HIV/AIDS patients and are known to worsen with advancing disease, yet data on their correlation with immunosuppression in adult male populations remain limited. Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between hematological derangements—including anemia, leukopenia, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia—and CD4+ cell counts in adult male HIV/AIDS patients. Methods: In this analytical cross-sectional study, 60 HIV-positive adult males aged 30–60 years from CMH Kohat were included using non-probability convenient sampling. Exclusion criteria were age <30 years or comorbid malignancy or other sexually transmitted infections. Data collection included socio-demographic information, HIV status (via ELISA and COMBAID), complete blood counts, and CD4+ counts (flow cytometry). Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of CMH Kohat, with written informed consent from all participants, adhering to the Declaration of Helsinki. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v22; ANOVA was used to examine associations between hematological parameters and CD4+ counts, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: Anemia (35%, p=0.004), leukopenia (28.3%, p=0.002), and lymphopenia (30%, p=0.001) were all significantly associated with lower CD4+ counts, while thrombocytopenia (6.7%, p=0.07) showed no significant correlation. Advanced immunosuppression correlated with higher prevalence and severity of hematological abnormalities. Conclusion: Anemia, leukopenia, and lymphopenia are strongly associated with declining CD4+ counts in adult male HIV/AIDS patients, underscoring their utility as accessible clinical markers for disease progression, particularly in resource-limited settings.