title: Relationship between markers of HIV-1 disease progression and serum beta-carotene concentrations in Kenyan women.
abstract: Observational studies have suggested that low serum beta-carotene concentrations may influence HIV-1 disease progression. However, randomized trials have not demonstrated beneficial effects of beta-carotene supplementation. To understand this discrepancy, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 400 HIV-1-seropositive women in Mombasa, Kenya, to correlate serum beta-carotene concentrations with several measures of HIV-1 disease severity. beta-Carotene concentrations were significantly associated with biologic markers of HIV-1 disease progression (CD4 count, HIV-1 plasma viral load, serum C-reactive protein [CRP] concentration, and serum albumin level). In multivariate analysis, beta-carotene concentrations below the median were associated with elevated CRP (>10 mg/l, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.99-5.53, P<0.001) and higher HIV-1 plasma viral load (for each log(10) copies/mL increase, aOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.01-1.88, P=0.04). In the context of negative findings from randomized trials of beta-carotene supplementation in HIV-1-seropositive individuals, these results suggest that low beta-carotene concentrations primarily reflect more active HIV-1 infection rather than a deficiency amenable to intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA. jbaeten@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Jared M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Baeten
authors.forename: R Scott
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: McClelland
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wener
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Bankson
authors.forename: Ludo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lavreys
authors.forename: Kishorchandra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mandaliya
authors.forename: Job J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bwayo
authors.forename: Joan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kreiss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D019562:Viral Load; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002097:C-Reactive Protein