The significance of vitamin A and carotenoid status in persons infected by the human immunodeficiency virus.
Hyporetinemia is associated with increased childhood morbidity and mortality that is reversible with vitamin A supplementation. Although vitamin A deficiency is otherwise rare in developed countries, the prevalence of hyporetinemia in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons is up to 29%. Hyporetinemic HIV-infected patients have a 3.5-5-fold increased risk of death. Furthermore, HIV-infected patients with very low or very high intake of vitamin A and beta-carotene (a vitamin A precursor) have greater rates of disease progression than do patients with intermediate intake. In developing countries up to 60% of HIV-infected pregnant women are hyporetinemic. In such women the relative risk of perinatal HIV transmission may be increased more than fourfold. These data indicate that vitamin A deficiency is common in HIV-infected patients in the developed world and strongly suggest that vitamin A supplementation may be especially useful in adjunctive therapy for HIV-infected pregnant women who reside in the developing world.
Nimmagadda
A
A
Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, West Los Angeles, California 90073, USA.
O'Brien
W A
WA
Goetz
M B
MB
D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D011247:Pregnancy; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications
D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids