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Micronutrient Deficiencies Common In People In HIV
A DGReview of :"Micronutrients in HIV-infection and the relationship with the inflammatory response"
Medicina Clinica
01/22/2003
By Mark Greener
People with HIV, including those who are asymptomatic, commonly show micronutrient deficiencies, which in some cases reflect inflammation.
Researchers from the Universitat Rovira y Virgili and the Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, Reus Tarragona, Spain, enrolled into their study 86 subjects infected with HIV. The patients were divided into three groups: asymptomatic; AIDS without opportunistic infection; and AIDS with active opportunistic infection. The authors also enrolled a control group.
Serum levels of vitamin A were below the reference range in 36.4% of people with HIV. Moreover, vitamin E levels were below the reference range in 14.3% of patients, respectively. Serum levels of vitamins A and E were not below the reference range among controls. On the other hand, more controls showed serum copper levels below the reference range compared to HIV-positive people.
Vitamin A deficiency became more common with increasing disease severity. AIDS patients with active opportunistic infections showed lower vitamin A serum concentrations and higher copper concentrations than the other groups. Serum concentrations of vitamin A and copper correlated with inflammatory parameters.
The authors concluded that HIV-infected patients, including those who are asymptomatic, commonly show micronutrient deficiencies. The authors suggested that the serum concentrations of vitamin A and copper might reflect the effects of inflammation rather than nutritional status.
Med Clin 2002;119:765-9.
"Micronutrients in HIV-infection and the relationship with the inflammatory response"
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