Carotenoid status of pregnant women with and without HIV infection in Malawi.
OBJECTIVE
To characterise the major plasma carotenoids in pregnant women with and without HIV infection attending antenatal clinic in Blantyre, Malawi.


METHODS
A cross sectional study.


METHODS
Antenatal clinic of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.


METHODS
Nine hundred women (697 HIV-positive and 203 HIV-negative women) in their second trimester of pregnancy.


METHODS
Plasma carotenoid levels as related to HIV status and level of disease progression.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in plasma carotenoid levels between HIV-positive and HIV-negative women. Median (25th, 75th percentiles) plasma levels of carotenoids for all women in the study were alpha-carotene, 0.040 (0.23, 0.071) mumol/L; beta-carotene, 0.350 (0.192, 0.595) mumol/L; beta-cryptoxanthin, 0.050 (0.029, 0.091) mumol/L; lutein/zeaxanthin 0.646 (0.426, 0.976) mumol/L; lycopene, 0.088 (0.055, 0.138) mumol/L, and total carotenoids 1.321 (0.884, 1.874) mumol/L. Mothers had higher mean plasma concentrations of alpha-carotene (p < 0.04), beta-carotene (p < 0.0001), lutein/zeaxanthin (p < 0.0001), and total carotenoids (p < 0.0001) in the wet season than the dry season. No seasonality was observed for beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, or retinol.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that pregnant women with and without HIV infection in Blantyre, Malawi have relatively low plasma carotenoid levels and poor dietary intake of provitamin A carotenoids.
Lan
Y
Y
Deparment of Opthalmology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Kumwenda
N
N
Taha
T E
TE
Chiphangwi
J D
JD
Miotti
P G
PG
Mtimavalye
L
L
Broadhead
R
R
van der Hoeven
L
L
Hoover
D R
DR
Semba
R D
RD
D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008295:Malawi; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012621:Seasons
D002338:Carotenoids