title: Urine methylmalonic acid levels in HIV-infected adults with peripheral neuropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cobalamin deficiency and peripheral neuropathy (PN) are commonly seen in HIV-infected adults. The level of urine methylmalonic acid (UMMA), a reliable indicator of tissue cobalamin status, was determined in HIV infected subjects with and without PN to establish this association.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and ninety-eight (198) consenting HIV infected subjects with and without PN were recruited for the study. UMMA level was determined by Cation Exchange High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with Ultraviolet detector in 165 subjects. Simple proportions of patients with raised UMMA (defined as value> 3.4 mg in 24hr) were determined for each arm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 198 subjects studied, 146 had PN and 52 had no PN. From the 165 subjects whose UMMA was studied, raised UMMA was found in 76.6% (36 of 47) of subjects with no PN as compared with 53.4% (63 of 118) of those with PN (p=0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cobalamin deficiency (measured by UMMA level) even though common in HIV infected subjects, may not be the cause of peripheral neuropathy in these subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adediran
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adewumi
authors.forename: Adeyemo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Titilope
authors.forename: Akinbami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akinsegun
authors.forename: Osunkalu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: Akanmu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alani
keywords: Cobalamin deficiency; HIV infection; Peripheral Neuropathy; Urine methylmalonic acid (UMMA)