title: [Survival and infectious processes in pacients with AIDS: analysis based on initial serum vitamin A levels].
abstract: Patients with Aids (n = 39) were followed up for a maximum period of 36 weeks, after which the types and topographies of infectious complications presented and patient survival were analyzed and correlated with the vitamin A levels presented by the patients at the beginning of clinical follow-up. Twenty-one (53,8%) patients presented serum retinol levels below 1.6 micromol/L, 12 (57%) of whom had values lower than 1.05 micromol/L. There was no correlation between low serum vitamin A levels and the types or topographies of the infectious complications that occurred during the follow-up period. Although mean survival at the end of the 36 months follow-up period was similar for the two groups, patients with retinol deficiency presented a lower probability of survival during the first 24 months of follow-up compared to patients without hypovitaminosis A (8.44 x 1.42 months; p = 0.003).
authors.affiliation: Divisão de Moléstias Infecciosas e Tropicais, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. jfcfigue@fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lorenzato
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Passos
authors.lastname: Rodrigues Md
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vannucchi
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A
vernacular_title: Sobrevida e processos infecciosos em pacientes com AIDS: análise de acordo com os níveis séricos iniciais de vitamina A.