MICRONUTRIENT LEVELS IN HIV-1-INFECTED CHILDREN

Objective: Micronutrients (zinc, copper, selenium, vitamin A, E, and c arotenoids) are essential for the integrity of host defences. This stu dy was designed to determine the prevalence of abnormalities of the mi cronutrient levels in HIV-1-seropositive children. Design: Prospective study. Setting: The study was performed on HIV-l-infected children at the Paediatric Haematology and Oncology Unit of Toulouse Hospital, Fr ance. Patients: Twenty-one children, suffering from HIV-1 infection an d 21 control subjects of similar age (2-9 years) were included in the study. In the HIV-1-infected children, two subgroups were considered a ccording to stage (non-AIDS or AIDS), based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1987 criteria.Results: The first statistically significant deficiencies occurred at non-AIDS stage and were confirme d at AIDS stage: P<0.05 for lycopene, retinol, tocopherol and P<0.001 for transthyretin and serum albumin. Levels of copper (40%) and long-c hain polyunsaturated fatty acids (21%) were higher in the non-AIDS gro up than the controls. Conclusion: Biological impairing of the micronut rient levels was observed in the non-AIDS stage without clinical sign. This information is useful in delineating eventual and well considere d nutritional intervention strategies that may improve the clinical st atus of HIV-1-infected children and perhaps alter the course of their disease.