Carotenoid status of pregnant women with and without HIV infection in Malawi
Lan, Y.; Kumwenda, N.; Taha, T.E.; Chiphangwi, J.D.; Miotti, P.G.; Mtimavalye, L.; Broadhead, R.; van der Hoeven, L.; Hoover, D.R.; Semba, R.D.
East African Medical Journal 76(3): 133-137
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0012-835X PMID: 10442111 Document Number: 501589
The major plasma carotenoids in 900 pregnant women with (697) and without (203) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection attending an antenatal clinic in Blantyre, Malawi between November 1995 and December 1996 were characterized in a cross sectional study. There were no differences in plasma carotenoid levels between HIV-positive and HIV-negative women. Median (25th, 75th percentiles) plasma levels of carotenoids for all women in the study were alpha -carotene, 0.04 (0.23, 0.071) micro mol/litre; beta -carotene, 0.35 (0.192, 0.595) micro mol/litre; beta -cryptoxanthin, 0.05 (0.029, 0.091) micro mol/litre; lutein/zeaxanthin 0.646 (0.426, 0.976) micro mol/litre; lycopene, 0.088 (0.055, 0.138) micro mol/litre, and total carotenoids 1.321 (0.884, 1.874) micro mol/litre. Mothers had higher mean plasma concentrations of alpha -carotene (P<0.04), beta -carotene (P<0.0001), lutein/zeaxanthin (P<0.0001), and total carotenoids (P<0.0001) in the wet season than the dry season. No seasonality was observed for beta -cryptoxanthin, lycopene, or retinol. It is concluded that pregnant women with and without HIV infection in Blantyre, Malawi have low plasma carotenoids levels and poor dietary intake of provitamin A carotenoids.