High levels of Zinc-α-2-Glycoprotein among Omani AIDS patients on combined antiretroviral therapy

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Main Authors: Sidgi Syed Anwer Hasson, Mohammed Saeed Al-Balushi, Muzna Hamed Al Yahmadi, Juma Zaid Al-Busaidi, Elias Antony Said, Mohammed Shafeeq Othman, Talal Abdullah Sallam, Mohammed Ahmad Idris, Ali Abdullah Al-Jabri
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014
• Subjects: Zinc-α-2-glycoprotein; AIDS; Patients; Combined antiretroviral therapy; Levels; Oman; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic; Sultan
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.12980/APJTB.4.201414B126; https://doaj.org/article/c5ab1a12ea594ae3b4bf5031ca92ba2a

To investigate the levels of zinc-α-2-glycoprotein (ZAG) among Omani AIDS patients receiving combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Methods: A total of 80 Omani AIDS patients (45 males and 35 females), average age of 36 years, who were receiving cART at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Muscat, Oman, were tested for the levels of ZAG. In addition, 80 healthy blood donors (46 males and 34 females), average age of 26 years, attending the SQUH Blood Bank, were tested in parallel as a control group. Measurement of the ZAG levels was performed using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Results: The ZAG levels were found to be significantly higher among AIDS patients compared to the healthy individuals (P=0.033). A total of 56 (70%) of the AIDS patients were found to have higher levels of ZAG and 16 (20%) AIDS patients were found to have high ZAG levels, which are significantly (P>0.031) associated with weight loss. Conclusions: ZAG levels are high among Omani AIDS patients on cART and this necessitates the measurement of ZAG on routine basis, as it is associated with weight loss.