Both human immunodeficiency virus–infected and human immunodeficiency virus–exposed, uninfected children living in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico have similar rates of low concentrations of retinol, β-carotene, and vitamin E
Received 28 August 2009; received in revised form 2 October 2009; accepted 6 October 2009.
Abstract
Our objective was to describe the prevalence of low concentrations of retinol, β-carotene, and vitamin E in a group of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected Latin American children and a comparison group of HIV-exposed, uninfected children. Our hypothesis was that the rates of low concentrations of these micronutrients would be higher in the HIV-infected group than those in the HIV-exposed, uninfected group. This was a cross-sectional substudy of a larger cohort study at clinical pediatric HIV centers in Latin America. Serum levels of micronutrients were measured in the first stored sample obtained after each child's first birthday by high-performance liquid chromatography. Low concentrations of retinol, β-carotene, and vitamin E were defined as serum levels below 0.70, 0.35, and 18.0 μmol/L, respectively. The population for this analysis was 336 children (124 HIV-infected, 212 HIV-exposed, uninfected) aged 1 year or older to younger than 4 years. Rates of low concentrations were 74% for retinol, 27% for β-carotene, and 89% for vitamin E. These rates were not affected by HIV status. Among the HIV-infected children, those treated with antiretrovirals were less likely to have retinol deficiency, but no other HIV-related factors correlated with micronutrient low serum levels. Low concentrations of retinol, β-carotene, and vitamin E are very common in children exposed to HIV living in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico, regardless of HIV-infection status.
cInstituto de Infectologia “Emilio Ribas” São Paulo, Brazil
dFederal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
ePediatric, Adolescent and Maternal AIDS Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Corresponding author. Pediatric, Adolescent and Maternal AIDS Branch, Center for Research for Mothers and Children, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7510, USA. Tel.: +1 301 435 6868; fax: +1 301 496 8678.
Principal investigators, co-principal, investigators, study coordinators, data management center representatives, and NICHD staff include: Brazil: Belo Horizonte: Jorge Pinto, Flávia Faleiro (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais); Caxias do Sul: Ricardo da Silva de Souza, Nicole Golin, Sílvia Mariani Costamilan (Universidade de Caxias do Sul/Serviço Municipal de Infectologia); Nova Iguacu: Jose Pilotto, Beatriz Grinsztejn, Valdilea Veloso (Hospital Geral Nova de Iguacu-HIV Family Care Clinic); Porto Alegre: Ricardo da Silva de Souza, Breno Riegel Santos, Rita de Cassia Alves Lira (Universidade de Caxias do Sul/Hospital Conceição); Ricardo da Silva de Souza, Mario Peixoto, Elizabete Teles (Universidade de Caxias do Sul/Hospital Fêmina); Ricardo da Silva de Souza, Marcelo Goldani, Margery Bohrer Zanetello (Universidade de Caxias do Sul/Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre); Regis Kreitchmann, Debora Fernandes Coelho (Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericordia de Porto Alegre); Ribeirão Preto: Marisa M. Mussi-Pinhata, Maria Célia Cervi, Márcia L. Isaac, Bento V. Moura Negrini (Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo); Rio de Janeiro: Ricardo Hugo S. Oliveira, Maria C. Chermont Sapia (Instituto de Puericultura e Pediatria Martagão Gesteira); Esau Custodio Joao, Maria Leticia Cruz, Claudete Araujo Cardoso, Guilherme Amaral Calvet (Hospital dos Servidores do Estado); São Paulo: Regina Celia de Menezes Succi, Daisy Maria Machado (Federal University of São Paulo); Marinella Della Negra, Wladimir Queiroz (Instituto de Infectologia Emilio Ribas); Mexico: Mexico City: Noris Pavía-Ruz, Patricia Villalobos-Acosta, Elsy Plascencia-Gómez (Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez); Peru, Lima: Jorge Alarcón (Instituto de Medicina Tropical “Daniel Alcides Carrión”- Sección de Epidemiologia, UNMSM), Maria Castillo Díaz (Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño), Mary Felissa Reyes Vega (Instituto de Medicina Tropical “Daniel Alcides Carrión” - Sección de Epidemiologia, UNMSM); Data Management and Statistical Center: Yolanda Bertucci, Laura Freimanis Hance, René Gonin, D. Robert Harris, Roslyn Hennessey, Margot Krauss, James Korelitz, Sharon Sothern, Sonia K. Stoszek (Westat, Rockville, MD, USA); NICHD: Rohan Hazra, Lynne Mofenson, Jennifer Read, George Siberry, Carol Worrell (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Md).
ABSTRACT