Nutritional status of HIV-seropositive subjects in an AIDS clinic in Paris

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 51; no. 9; pp. 637 - 640
• Main Authors: NIYONGABO, T, BOUCHAUD, O, HENZEL, D, MELCHIOR, J. C, SAMB, B, DAZZA, M. C, RUGGERI, C, BEGUE, J. C, COULAUD, J. P, LAROUZE, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing 01.09.1997; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - complications; Adult; AIDS; AIDS/HIV; Albumin; Albumins; Anthropometry; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition; Body fat; Body Mass Index; Body size; Body weight; Body weight loss; CD4 antigen; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Day care centers; Electric Impedance; Female; HIV; HIV Seropositivity - complications; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Lean body mass; Male; Malnutrition; Medical sciences; Nutrition; Nutrition Disorders - complications; Nutritional Status; Paris; Prospective Studies; Quality of life; Serum Albumin - metabolism; Sex ratio; Sexually transmitted diseases; STD; Variance analysis; Weight Loss; Paris; Human; Immunopathology; Evaluation; Seropositivity; Statistical analysis; Prevalence; Pathophysiology; Nutrition disorder; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Body composition; Infection; Viral disease; Malnutrition; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600461

To measure the prevalence and analyse the characteristics of malnutrition among subjects attending an AIDS outpatient clinic and a day care center, to improve the nutritional management of HIV-infected subjects. Prospective cross-sectional study. AIDS clinic in a University Hospital in Paris. 124 HIV-seropositive adults attending the clinic. Evaluation of nutritional status using anthropometry, impedancemetry, plasma albumin and pre-albumin assays. Degree of malnutrition, defined by the percentage of body weight loss (BWL), calculated by reference to the usual body weight. Among the 124 subjects recruited (M:F sex ratio: 3.3, mean age: 36.3 +/- 7.2 y), 77 (62.1%, 95%CI: 53.9-70.3) had normal nutrition status (BWL < or = 5%), 16 (12.9%, 95%CI: 7.0-18.2) moderate malnutrition (5% < BWL < or = 10%), 21 (16.9% 95%CI: 10.3-23.5) intermediate malnutrition (10% < BWL < or = 20%), and 10 (8.1%, 95%CI: 3.3-12.9) severe malnutrition (BWL > 20%). BWL was related to the CDC class (variance analysis, P < 9 x 10(-5)) and CD4 cell count (P < 3 x 10(-5)). Malnutrition was observed even among CDC class A subjects (14.9%). BWL was also related to the body mass index (P < 3 x 10(-6)), lean body mass (P < 3 x 10(-5)), body fat (P < 7 x 10(-6)), and as assessed by impedancemetry, body cell mass (P < 10(-5)) an the extra/intra cellular water ratio (P < 2 x 10(-4)). The decrease in lean body mass was related to the decrease in body cell mass. Given its high frequency, malnutrition should be prevented, detected, monitored and treated from the early stages of HIV infection among patients attending AIDS clinics in order to improve survival and quality of life.