A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF DIETARY-INTAKE AND ACQUIRED-IMMUNE-DEFICIENCY-SYNDROME IN HIV-SEROPOSITIVE HOMOSEXUAL MEN

We prospectively studied the relationship between dietary intake at ba seline and the development of AIDS over 6 years in a population-based sample of 2% human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive men. Nutr ient intake was assessed before HIV serostatus was known, Subjects dia gnosed with AIDS at baseline or during the 1st year were excluded. Aft er adjustment for baseline CD4 T-lymphocyte count, HIV symptoms, and o ther risk factors, no nutrients were significantly associated with AID S. However, when the continuous CD4 count and HIV symptom variables we re replaced with a single binary health status variable, the hazard of AIDS decreased as consumption increased for all 11 micronutrients; th is relationship was statistically significant for iron, vitamin E, and riboflavin and approached significance for vitamins C, thiamine, and niacin. Higher intake of all 11 micronutrients was associated with hig her CD4 counts at baseline, and was significantly so for six of them. Daily multivitamin use was associated with a reduced hazard of AIDS [h azard ratio (HR) = 0.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.5, 1.0] and a significantly reduced risk for low CD4 counts at baseline (HR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4, 0.9). Additional studies are needed to determine whether dietary intake modifies the rate of developing AIDS in those who are HIV seropositive.