Impact of Socioeconomic Status and Duration of HIV/AIDS on Scarcity of Vitamin-D among HIV Infected Patients

Abstract

Background: Literature showed that HIV +ve individuals were deficient for vitamin D as well. Vitamin D deficiency is one of the topmost commonly observed abnormality and an independent prognostic marker of HIV disease. One of most communal comorbidities in HIV-1 patients is insufficiency of Vitamin D (Vit D), which is estimated by measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations. Patients having vitamin D levels < 20ng/ml (50nmol/l) were considered as having vitamin D deficiency. HIV infection and ART (antiretroviral therapy) may create risk factors for insufficiency of vitamin D, it also has a role in slowing down HIV ailment progression.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Medicine Department in Services Hospital Lahore from June 22, 2017 to December 22, 2017. 160 Patients with HIV confirmed by ELISA method were selected by non-Probability Consecutive sampling technique. Data was entered in SPSS v23.0 and Chi square test was applied.

Results: Out of 160, 108(67.5%) were males, while 52(32.5%) were ladies. Frequency of Vitamin D deficiency was 111(69.4%). Results demonstrated that 61(38.1%) individuals had low socio-economic status, while 70(43.8%) and 29(18.1%) belonged to middle and high socio-economic status respectively. There were no significant differences between Vitamin D deficiency with socioeconomic status (p-value 0.060).

Conclusion: Frequency of vitamin D deficiency is very high. This recommends that all HIV positive individuals should be considered for routine screening. Low serum calcium should prompt investigation of 25-OHD levels.