title: Vitamin A status of patients presenting with pulmonary tuberculosis and asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
abstract: Serum vitamin A was determined in a cross-sectional study of 100 HIV-positive and -negative tuberculosis patients and 144 blood donors. Tuberculosis patients were seen again after 2 months of treatment. Mean vitamin A was lowest among tuberculosis patients co-infected with HIV, and was lower among HIV-positive than -negative donors. Mean vitamin A rose significantly at 2 months in HIV-negative patients, and not in -positive patients. HIV infection was the strongest predictor of low vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency is common in tuberculosis and HIV infection, particularly in those patients who are dually infected, and nutritional supplementation may be beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania. fmugusi@muchs.ac.tz
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Mugusi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rusizoka
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fawzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D013636:Tanzania; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A