ANTIOXIDANT-MICRONUTRIENTS AND HIV-INFECTION

We measured plasma levels of all the antioxidant-micronutrients in sub jects with HIV infection and controls. Plasma levels of all the carote noids, including lutein, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene and b eta-carotene as well as vitamins A, C and E and cholesterol were assay ed in 35 subjects with HIV infection and 38 controls. We found a signi ficant depletion of all the carotenoids (P<0.001) and vitamin C (P<0.0 1) and cholesterol (P<0.001) but not vitamins A or E in HIV-infected s ubjects, Further analysis of the HIV-infected subjects revealed that p lasma levels of 4 of the groups of carotenoids and cholesterol were co rrelated with CD4 count but that beta-carotene and vitamins A, C and E were not. These results are reviewed in the light of the published li terature and we conclude that these abnormalities of antioxidant-micro nutrients are Likely to reflect a metabolic phenomenon associated with HIV infection. However, an additional contribution to these deficienc ies from malabsorption later in HIV disease cannot be ruled out.