VITAMIN-A-DEFICIENCY IN NON-VITAMIN-SUPPLEMENTED PATIENTS WITH AIDS -A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and its association with dietar y retinol intake in patients with AIDS was assessed in a cross-section al study. Sixty eligible patients with AIDS provided serum samples tha t were analyzed for retinol content. Exclusion criteria included curre nt use of vitamin supplements (57% of the 140 willing to participate) and pregnancy (none). Past dietary intake was determined using a stand ardized food intake frequency questionnaire. The prevalence of hyporet inemia was 22%. This was a 241-fold greater prevalence than that of a representative sample of the U.S. population, after adjusting for age and sex. There was a positive association between serum retinol status and dietary intake, but 27% of those with adequate intake had serum r etinol levers below the normal range. These findings suggest that rega rdless of intake, patients with AIDS may represent a population at con siderable risk of vitamin A deficiency.