Nutritional status and serum zinc and selenium levels in Iranian HIV infected individuals

doi:10.1186/1471-2334-8-165

BMC Infectious Diseases

Volume 8

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Khalili H
Soudbakhsh A
Hajiabdolbaghi M
Dashti-Khavidaki S
Poorzare A
Saeedi AA
Sharififar R

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Khalili H
Soudbakhsh A
Hajiabdolbaghi M
Dashti-Khavidaki S
Poorzare A
Saeedi AA
Sharififar R
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Research article

Nutritional status and serum zinc and selenium levels in Iranian HIV infected individuals

H Khalili¹ , A Soudbakhsh² , M Hajiabdolbaghi² , S Dashti-Khavidaki¹ , A Poorzare¹ , AA Saeedi² and R Sharififar²

¹Department of Pharmacotherapy, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

²Department of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

author email corresponding author email

BMC Infectious Diseases 2008, 8:165doi:10.1186/1471-2334-8-165


Published:	9 December 2008

Abstract

Background

Human immunodeficiency virus infected individuals are prone to malnutrition due to increased energy requirements, enteropathy and increased catabolism. Trace elements such as zinc and selenium have major role in maintaining a healthy immune system. This study was designed to evaluate the nutritional status of Iranian subjects who were newly diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus infection and to compare serum level of zinc and selenium in these patients with those of the sex and aged match healthy subjects.

Methods

After an interview and physical examination, nutritional assessment was done based on clinical and anthropometric parameters. Body mass index (normal range 18.5–27 kg/m²based on age) of less than 16, 16–16.9 and 17–18.4 kg/m²were considered as severe, moderate and mild malnutrition respectively. Serum level of zinc and selenium were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption.

Results

Severe, moderate and mild malnutrition were detected in 15%, 38% and 24% of human immunodeficiency virus infected individuals respectively. Compared with the healthy control group, serum level of zinc and selenium in the human immunodeficiency virus infected subjects were significantly lower (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02 respectively).

Conclusion

Malnutrition found to be prevalent in Iranian human immunodeficiency virus infected individuals and low serum zinc and selenium levels are common in this population.