Retrospective Analysis of Immune, Inflammatory and Biochemical Biomarkers in Newly Diagnosed HIV-Positive Individuals in Mauritius
Ashwamed Dinassing, Shivanee Devi Woodun Annah, Cynthia Leste Boodoo, Chocanathan Vetrievel, Hiroshi Terunuma, Koji Ichiyama, Joseph Thadeus, Sankaranantham Murugan, Rajappa Senthilkumar, Mathayian Rajmohan, Ramalingam Karthick, Senthilkumar Preethy, Samuel J.K. AbrahamIntroduction:
Immunosenescence and inflammaging contribute significantly to morbidity in ageing populations and in HIV infection; these processes occur very early due to chronic immune activation and a dynamic immune response. Simple, accessible immune and biochemical ratios such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), CD4:CD8 ratio, and AST: ALT (De Ritis) ratio may offer practical insights into immune status, particularly in resource- limited settings. This study evaluated these ratios in newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals in Mauritius.
Methods:
A retrospective analytical observational study was conducted using anonymized records of adult HIV-positive patients (n = 154) from the HIV Unit in Mauritius (2018–2024). Data were analyzed using statistical methods.
Results:
The mean NLR was 2.02 ± 1.66 and demonstrated a weak negative correlation with age (r = −0.099, p = 0.246). Females had a higher mean NLR than males (2.19 ± 1.53 vs. 1.86 ± 1.73), though not statistically significant (p = 0.237). Mean CD4:CD8 ratio was 0.44 ± 0.31. Mean De-ritis ratio was 1.54 ± 1.24 and exceeded 1.0 across all age groups.
Discussion:
The overall mean NLR of 2.02 suggests the presence of low-grade systemic inflammation in these treatment-naive individuals, and NLR demonstrated an inverse correlation with age, suggesting that younger individuals with HIV may experience greater inflammation- related immune dysregulation, although this observation requires validation in larger studies.
Conclusion:
The findings of immune dysregulation support the potential utility of such markers as complementary tools for immune assessment alongside established biomarkers and provide a foundation for future prospective studies evaluating immune-modulating interventions for HIV infection.