MICRONUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS IN THE HIV WASTING SYNDROME

Objective: We measured micronutrient values in patients with the HIV w asting syndrome and in other HIV-seropositive patients to determine wh ether specific micronutrient deficiencies were associated with the was ting syndrome. Methods: Serum from 47 HIV-seropositive patients was ev aluated for concentrations of vitamin A, B6, B-12, C, D, E, folate, th e mineral zinc, carotene and glutathione. Comparisons were made betwee n groups stratified by CD4 cell count and wasting/non-wasting status. Results: Mean serum levels were significantly lower for vitamin A (P = 0.04), folate (P = 0.04) and carotene (P = 0.06) in patients with the HIV wasting syndrome than in non-wasting patients with comparable CD4 cell counts. Values of vitamins A, B6, C, D, carotene and glutathione were below the normal range in over 10% of HIV-seropositive patients in this study. Conclusion: Decreased micronutrient concentrations are common in HIV-infected patients and occur more frequently in patients with the wasting syndrome. Clinicians may wish to evaluate HIV-seropos itive patients with wasting for individual micronutrient deficiencies, although they should note that particular deficiencies may be only pa rt of the larger picture of malabsorption and undernutrition.