Nutritional assessment of vitamin E in malnourished patients with AIDS

Malnourished patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may have low serum levels and reduced intake of α-tocopherol, mainly in the presence of acute-phase response. The aims of this study were to compare intake and serum levels of α-tocopherol between malnourished (MN) and non-malnourished (NMN) AIDS patients and to correlate α-tocopherol intake and serum levels. Undernutrition was defined as having a body mass index lower than 18.5 kg/m2 or a height–creatinine index lower than 70%. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire assessed α-tocopherol intake. High-performance liquid chromatography determined vitamin serum levels. The patients were divided into MN (n = 14) and NMN (n = 15) groups. There were no statistical differences in relation to clinical findings between MN and NMN, respectively, including moniliasis (7/14 versus 4/15), neurocryptoccocosis and neurotoxoplasmosis (6/14 versus 6/15), pulmonary tuberculosis (4/14 versus 2/15), and fever (1/14 versus 3/15). MN and NMN groups had similar peripheral blood CD4 levels (111.4 ± 87.1 versus 124.4 ± 90.9 cells/mm3), and both groups had similar and adequate α-tocopherol intake (MN = 50.0 ± 11.0 versus NMN = 47.2 ± 16.5 mg) and serum levels (MN = 17.8 ± 7.2 versus NMN = 19.8 ± 6.3 μmol/L). Vitamin E intake and serum levels did not show a significant correlation (r = −0.22, P > 0.05). Protein-energy nutrition status and acute-phase response were not factors determining vitamin status among AIDS patients.