[Nutritional status of the HIV patient. Description and clinical course of a group of patients over a year].
OBJECTIVE
To know the nutritional and immunological status of a sample of patients infected by HIV and their evolution over a one-year period. Relationship between nutritional status, immunological status and clinical evolution.


METHODS
Longitudinal descriptive study of 30 HIV-infected patients. Anthropometric evaluation (weight, height, skin folds, arm circumference) and immunological assessment (CD4 and CD4/CD8).


METHODS
means, absolute and relative frequencies, Student's T test.


RESULTS
30 patients, 73.3% males and 27.7% female. Mean age 34.7 years. Initial nutritional assessment: 30% of patients had normal weight, 36.7% presented mild undernourishment, 16.7% moderate undernourishment, 6.7% were overweight and 10% were obese. The evolution of CD4 and CD4/CD8 levels was not significantly influenced by nutritional status.


CONCLUSIONS
The patients in the study presented a deterioration of their nutritional status, as assessed by triceps skin fold. The nutritional status of the HIV-infected patients in our study is not dependent on their immunological status. The diagnosis and treatment of their de-nourishment on diagnosis of HIV infection will contribute to the prevention of complications, thus reducing the human and health-care costs. An increase in food intake, on its own, does not improve the condition of the patients, indicating the need to provide them with the necessary dietary supplements from the early stages of illness.
Izquierdo Villarroya
B
B
Servicio de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapia del Dolor, Hospital Miguel Servet, España. blizvi@comz.org
Celaya Pérez
S
S
Amiguet García
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013997:Time Factors
Estado nutricional del paciente VIH. Descripción y evolución durante un año de un grupo de pacientes.