Nutritional status and CD4 cell counts in patients with HIV/AIDS receiving antiretroviral therapy.
BACKGROUND
Even with current highly active antiretroviral therapy, individuals with AIDS continue to exhibit important nutritional deficits and reduced levels of albumin and hemoglobin, which may be directly related to their cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) cell counts. The aim of this study was to characterize the nutritional status of individuals with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and relate the findings to the albumin level, hemoglobin level and CD4 cell count.


METHODS
Patients over 20 years of age with AIDS who were hospitalized in a university hospital and were receiving antiretroviral therapy were studied with regard to clinical, anthropometric, biochemical and sociodemographic characteristics. Body mass index, percentage of weight loss, arm circumference, triceps skinfold and arm muscle circumference were analyzed. Data on albumin, hemoglobin, hematocrit and CD4 cell count were obtained from patient charts. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test, Student's t-test for independent variables and the Mann-Whitney U-test. The level of significance was set to 0.05 (α = 5%). Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 17.0 software for Windows.


RESULTS
Of the 50 patients evaluated, 70% were male. The prevalence of malnutrition was higher when the definition was based on arm circumference and triceps skinfold measurement. The concentrations of all biochemical variables were significantly lower among patients with a body mass index of less than 18.5kg/m2. The CD4 cell count, albumin, hemoglobin and hematocrit anthropometric measures were directly related to each other.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings underscore the importance of nutritional follow-up for underweight patients with AIDS, as nutritional status proved to be related to important biochemical alterations.
Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Pernambuco, RecifePE.
Ana Célia Oliveira dos
AC
Santos
Programa de Mestrado em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade de Pernambuco, RecifePE.
Ana Maria Rampeloti
AM
Almeida
D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D000740:Anemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D000418:Albumins; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012709:Serum Albumin