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Nutritional alterations in persons with HIV infection
Image--The Journal of Nursing Scholarship
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Nutritional status and quality of life remained stable in most homosexual and bisexual males, even with advancing HIV disease stages. Declines in T-helper cell percentages were observed, but not absolute numbers.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Investigating the interplay between nutritional status, immune function, and quality of life is crucial for managing chronic conditions.
- Homosexual and bisexual males represent a key demographic for understanding HIV progression and its multifaceted impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationships among nutritional status, immune function, and quality of life in homosexual and bisexual males.
- To stratify participants based on disease progression using modified Walter Reed Staging Criteria.
Main Methods:
- Convenience sample of 40 outpatient homosexual and bisexual males.
- Nutritional status assessed via anthropometrics, nutrient intake, and serum albumin.
- Immune status evaluated by T-helper cell counts and percentages.
- Quality of life measured using a standardized test.
Main Results:
- Serum albumin levels were significantly reduced only in individuals with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
- A significant decline in T-helper cell percentages, but not absolute numbers, correlated with disease stage.
- No statistically significant differences in quality of life scores were found across disease stages.
Conclusions:
- Asymptomatic individuals and those with ARC or stable AIDS maintained body weight and composition.
- Changes in serum albumin may not solely reflect nutritional status due to non-nutritional factors.
- Immune function, specifically T-helper cell percentages, declines with HIV disease progression.