1.
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis
; 7(8): 804-7, 2003 Aug.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-12921158
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.