Micronutrients in HIV-Infected Women

Abstract

This study was conducted to compare micronutrient values in human immunodeficiency (HlV)-infected women to seronegative healthy controls to determine whether HIV-infected women have decreased or deficient values of specific vitamins and minerals. We evaluated serum from 26 HIV seropositive women and 16 seronegative controls for concentrations of vitamins A, B₆, B₁₂, C, E, and folate; the minerals zinc and selenium; and concentrations of the carotenoids β carotene, α carotene, lutein, β cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and γ tocopherol. Comparisons were made between groups stratified by CD4 count and HIV status. Mean serum levels were significantly lower for vitamin C, selenium, β carotene, α carotene, lutein, β cryptoxanthin, and lycopene in HIV seropositive patients with CD4 counts under 400 cells/mm³ compared with seronegative controls. Concentrations of vitamins A, B₆, E, zinc, β carotene, α carotene, lutein, lycopene, and β cryptoxanthin were below the normal range in 10% or more of all HIV seropositive patients in this study. Decreased micronutrient concentrations, particularly of the antioxidants vitamin C, selenium, β carotene, and other carotenoids are common in HIV-infected women and occur more frequently in patients with decreased CD4 counts. The clinical implications of this finding require further evaluation.