Increased prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in HIV patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has changed the clinical evolution of HIV infection. However, its adverse effects are increasingly being recognized, particularly those concerning protease inhibitors, and some of the secondary effects are probably not known yet. The observation of four cases of clinical hypothyroidism in patients treated with HAART for several months prompted us to look for thyroid dysfunction in HIV patients. We therefore conducted an epidemiological cross-sectionnal study to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in patients treated with HAART. The second aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the different treatments associated with protease inhibitors and hypothyroidism.