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Updated: Aug 8, 2026
A Clinical Trial Assessing the Safety, Efficacy, and Delivery of Olive-Oil-Based Three-Chamber Bags for Parenteral Nutrition
Published on: September 20, 2019
Randomized, controlled trial of caloric supplements in HIV infection. Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical
C L Gibert1, D A Wheeler, G Collins
1Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Washington Regional AIDS Program, DC 20422, USA. gibert.c@washington.va.gov
Objective:
To compare the efficacy of three nutritional regimens in the prevention of weight loss.
Design:
A three-arm randomized controlled trial with primary outcome measure percent change in weight over four months.
Patients:
A total of 536 patients with CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 and stable weight, defined as <5% weight loss as determined by a weight measurement 3 to 6 months before randomization were recruited at fourteen administrative units in the United States, each unit consisting of multiple primary care sites.
Intervention:
The three arms were 500 kcal daily of caloric supplement with peptides and medium-chain triglycerides plus a multivitamin and mineral supplement, 500 kcal of a caloric supplement with whole protein and long-chain triglycerides plus a multivitamin and mineral supplement, and a multivitamin and mineral supplement only.
Results:
There were no significant differences among the three regimens in the percent change in weight (p = .74) and body cell mass (p = .63). On average, 65% of the recommended 500 kcal/day of caloric supplements containing peptides with medium-chain triglycerides and 82% of the 500 kcal/day of the caloric supplement containing whole protein and long-chain triglycerides were consumed.
Conclusions:
Caloric supplements do not promote increases in average weight or body cell mass in weight-stable, HIV-infected adults beyond that offered by a multivitamin and mineral supplement.
