Serum vitamin E deficiency among people living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy at Ho Teaching Hospital, Ghana

Abstract

Oxidative stress is known to greatly affect people living with HIV (PLWH) through the stimulation of HIV replication and apoptosis of CD4þ T cells. There is however, a paucity of scientific data on the serum levels of vitamin E among PLWH in Ghana, and hence, there is a need to assess its level because of the pivotal role it plays in cell longevity determination and the immune system enhancement of such persons. This study aims to assess the serum levels of vitamin E among PLWH undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy at Ho Teaching Hospital, Ghana. In a cross-sectional study, serum vitamin E levels of 103 randomly selected PLWH aged 24-88 years who attended an antiretroviral therapy clinic at the Ho Teaching Hospital, Ghana, were measured by following standard protocols. A 24-hour dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire were employed to assess dietary intake. The results show that a high level of serum vitamin E deficiency (82.5%) was observed among the participants. Majority (91.3%) of the participants had normal serum zinc status. Participants' serum vitamin E levels did not show significant correlation with their dietary intakes (correlation coefficient (ρ) ¼ -0.094, p-value ¼ 0.35). The prevalence of vitamin E deficiency among underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese participants was 91.7%, 75.4%, 86.5%, and 91.7% respectively with no significant difference among these groups. There was no significant correlation between serum vitamin E levels and HIV infection duration (ρ ¼ 0.010, p-value ¼ 0.405) and HAART duration (ρ ¼ 0.001, p-value ¼ 0.313). The low serum vitamin E levels found in this study suggests that the participants could potentially be at an increased risk of developing oxidative stress and its effects.

Nutritional and Lifestyle Therapy for NAFLD in People with HIV

“…Oppositely, in 248 Russian PWH with heavy alcohol consumption, who were mostly male (72.6%), young (median age of 33.9 years), and coinfected with HCV (87.9%), Fuster et al did not report any association between cannabis use and advanced liver fibrosis (detected by FIB-4, aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio (APRI), or transient elastography) [114]. Along the same lines, in a large longitudinal cohort of 575 HIV/HCV-coinfected women who were followed for a median of 11 years, marijuana usage was not associated with a progression to significant liver fibrosis (diagnosed by FIB-4 or APRI) [115]. Similar results were also shown by Brunet and colleagues, who detected no evidence that marijuana smoking accelerated significant liver fibrosis progression (detected by APRI) or cirrhosis in a prospective cohort of 690 Canadian HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals [116].…”

Nutritional Approaches for Enhancing Immune Competence in HIV-Positive Individuals: A Comprehensive Review

“…Vitamin A Known for its role in maintaining the integrity of mucosal surfaces and enhancing immune responses, Vitamin A deficiency is common in PLWHA and can exacerbate immune system impairment [34][35][36][37][38][39]. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, supporting immune cell function and aiding in wound healing.…”