Nutritional status impairments in HIV-infected patients are associated with increased TNF-α and IL-6 serum levels but not with viral load

• Published in: Infection Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 257 - 261
• Main Authors: GALHARDO, M. C. G, DE CARVALHO, M. G. C, GEORG, I, PEREZ, M, MORGADO, M. G, DE AZEVEDO, L. M. S, SAMPAIO, E. P, SARNO, E. N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01-10-2001
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Female; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - immunology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Interleukin-6 - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nutrition Disorders - physiopathology; Nutritional Status; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - analysis; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral Load; Human; Immunopathology; Biological marker; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Infection; Interleukin 6; Denutrition; Viral disease; Risk factor; Serum; Viral load; Nutritional status; Tumor necrosis factor α
• ISSN: 0300-8126; 1439-0973
• DOI: 10.1007/s15010-001-1074-1

Cytokines may alter metabolic pathways and contribute to malnutrition among human immunodefiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals.
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble IL-2 receptors (sIL-2R), beta2-microglobulin serum levels and plasma viral load of 45 HIV-positive patients were determined and correlated to nutritional status impairment. Patients were grouped by CD4 counts into categories I (< 200/microl), II (200-499/microl), III (> or = 500/microl). There were 15 healthy controls. A nutritional grading system, based on anthropometric and laboratory data, was devised. Scores ranged from 0 to 5 (eutrophic to malnutrition).
AIDS patients' cytokines and immune marker levels were significantly higher than those of the controls, but not always higher than those of other categories. AIDS patients had higher nutritional deficit grades than category III (p < 0.05) or the controls (p < 0.02) which, except for viral load, correlated with the parameters studied.
Nutritional status impairments in HIV-positive individuals were associated with immune activation but not with viral load.