VITAMIN A LEVELS IN HIVIAIDS

Abstract

Objective: To study the correlation of vitamin A concentrations in patients with AIDS, HIV
positive symptom free and HIV negative symptom free men and women.
Design: A cross-sectional study.
Subjects: Male and female volunteers aged between 15 and 60 yean willing to undergo an
HIV-test.
Setting: Participants came from different backgrounds within the city of Ndola. Some were
urban while others were peri-urban dwellers. They were included in the study only if they
were willing to undergo the HIV test regardless of their place of residence.
Main outcome measures: After obtaining consent blood samples were taken from the
participants using needle and syringe. Whole blood was used to measure haematological
indices while serum was used to measure vitamin A concentrations and HIV status.
Results: One hundred and thirty five participants were recruited for the study. Vitamin A
was analysed in eighty seven HIV negative symptom free, forty one HIV-positive symptom
free and seven AIDS cases. 'There was a significant difference (p<O.OS) in the variance of
vitamin A levels in the three groups. Vitamin A deficiency is defined as blood concentrations
below 30 Wdl. Using this cut-off point, the Odds Ratio for deficiency if HIV-positive was
found to be 6.3 (2.5,16.7 p<0.0001). The Odds Ratio for HIV and serum vitamin A def~iency
was approximately the same for males and females. There was a modest correlation between
vitamin A concentrations and haemoglobin (r=0.34,95 % CI 0.18,0.48, p<0.0001).
Conclusion: Vitamin A concentration is lowered in HIV infection. The depletion of vitamin
A seems to increase with progression of the infection leading to AIDS disease. Whether
regular supplementation of vitamin A to the HIV infected individual can lead to a delayed
progression to AIDS needs to be explored.