Factors Associated with High Blood Pressure in People Living with HIV at the National Teaching Hospital Hubert Koutoukou Maga and Cotonou Teaching Hospital of the Armed Forces

In Benin Republic, few data are available on the prevalence and determinants of arterial hypertension (AH) in people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLWHA). The present study was conducted in two outpatient treatment centers for PLWHA in Cotonou and was conducted from June 19 to July 04, 2019 with 314 PLWHA. We performed descriptive statistics and logistic regression for the estimates. The prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) among PLWHA was 41.4% [CI (95%): (35.9 - 47)]. In univariate analysis: age, smoking, alcoholism, physical inactivity, family history of hypertension, personal history of diabetes, obesity, and total and LDL (low density lipoprotein) hypercholesterolemia were significantly associated with HBP. No association was found with duration of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection, time to ARV (antiretrovirals) exposure, and treatment regimen. In multivariate analysis, age, sex, smoking, family history of hypertension, and total hypercholesterolemia remained associated with HBP. In conclusion, the prevalence of HBP in PLWHA was very high compared with the results in the general population, and the same risk factors described in the general population were found but with a more marked hypertense potential.