High frequency of deficient consumption and low blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in HIV-1-infected adults from São Paulo city, Brazil

Micronutrient deficiency is common in patients with HIV/AIDS, usually caused by mal-absorption and/or drug interactions. 25-hydroxyvitamin D is of fundamental importance for the homeostasis of musculoskeletal health. The current study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of HIV-infected subjects in order to make their nutritional diagnoses, including their vitamin D blood levels, and to estimate their consumption of vitamin D. The study included 98 HIV-1-infected subjects, followed at University of São Paulo Medical School - HC-FMUSP. We performed a nutritional evaluation, along with the determination of patients’ serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and calcium concentration, biochemical analyses, and an anthropometric assessment. In the medical interview a 24-hour food recall was used (R24) to estimate daily calorie intake, macronutrients, calcium, and vitamin D. A high level of vitamin D deficiency was observed in our patients: 83.4% of them had levels below 30 ng/ml; they also presented an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, along with a high consumption of dietary fat. Factors related to the virus itself and to the use of antiretroviral drugs may have contributed for the low vitamin D levels seen in our HIV-1-infected patients.