Polymorphism of apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) gene in children with HIV infection at Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia

Background: Genetic factors can affect the therapeutic response to HIV infection. Apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) polymorphism is related to metabolic disorders and hypersensitivities and affect tolerability that impacts adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Objective: To analyse the polymorphism of APOC3 gene in children with HIV infection in Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. Method: A descriptive observational study was conducted in Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya from September 2019 to January 2020 in 2-13 year old children with HIV infection. APOC3 was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Statistical analysis was done using Fisher test. p <0.05 was taken as significant. Results: Of the 24 patients, 11 (45.8%) were boys and 13 (54.6%) were girls. Mean age was 7.5 ± 0.59 years. Twenty three (95.8%) mothers with HIV-infected children also had positive HIV status. Sixteen (66.7%) children had a duration of therapy less than 5 years. Mean age of child at diagnosis was 4.2 ± 0.56 years. Mean CD4 absolute value was 769.61 ± 439 cells /cu mm, and the mean CD4% value was 15.49 ± 6.4%. Seven (29.2%) patients had the wild type APOC3 gene, and 17 (70.8%) patients had the homozygous mutant APOC3 gene. There was no significant relationship between sex (p=0.059), duration of therapy (p=0.218) or history of changing therapy (p=0.708) with polymorphism of APOC3 gene. Conclusions: At Dr. Soetomo Hospital, presence of APOC3 gene polymorphism in children with HIV infection was 70.8%.