Author(s)

Catherine Wanjiru Gichuhi^1*, Daniel Kariuki¹, Andrew Nyerere², Malkit Riyat³

¹Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.
²Department of Medical Microbiology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.
³Department of Pathology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.

Vitamin D deficiency may be more prevalent among HIV-positive patients than in the general population due to HIV disease-related factors. This study examined the effects of HIV infection and use of antiretroviral drugs in serum vitamin D levels in HIV patients visiting Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi Kenya from October 2013 to April 2014. The effect of vitamin D status on CD₄ cell count and HIV viral load was evaluated to determine the status of disease progression to AIDS. HIV viral load in blood samples was determined using COBAS Ampliprep/TaqMan HIV-1 test kit while CD₄ cell counts were done using the fluorescence-activated cell sorter system. The levels of vitamin D in serum were determined using electrochemiluminescence binding assay in Cobas E601 mass analyzers. In addition, selected plasma enzymes were used to evaluate liver function. Higher percentage (49.12%) of deficient vitamin D cases were observed among HIV patients not on ART. Deficient levels of Vitamin D were associated with abnormal selected liver enzymes. High viral load was observed among patients not on ART with deficient and insufficient vitamin D. The CD₄ cell count was higher in patients on ART with sufficient vitamin D levels compared to those with deficient vitamin D. These observations suggest a need to supplement ART with vitamin D in order to ameliorate Vitamin D deficiency as a strategy to improve HIV management.

Vitamin D, HIV Patients, ART, Viral Load, CD4 Count

Gichuhi, C. , Kariuki, D. , Nyerere, A. and Riyat, M. (2014) Studies on Vitamin D Levels in Serum of HIV Infected Patients: Their Effect on Progression towards AIDS. World Journal of AIDS, 4, 422-429. doi: 10.4236/wja.2014.44050.