Effects of Micronutrient Supplementation on Lipid Peroxidation and Enzymatic Antioxidant System in Blood of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected Adults in Sokoto, Nigeria

Aims: To examine the effects of micronutrient supplementation on lipid peroxidation and enzymatic antioxidant system in 210 HIV-positive adult patients.

Study Design: A randomized clinical trial was conducted comparing four groups receiving daily either a micronutrients supplement or no supplement for 12 months and the effects of micronutrients supplementation on lipid peroxidation and enzymatic antioxidant system from baseline to 12 months were assessed.

Place and Duration of Study: Antiretroviral Therapy Clinic, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto and Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, between April, 2013 and September, 2014.

Methodology: We included 210 patients (94 men, 116 women; age range 18-50 years 106 (HAART-naïve, HIV-infected and 104 HIV-infected on HAART). Clinical examinations as well as laboratory analysis of serum activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (lipid peroxidation index) were measured at baseline and measurement repeated at three-monthly period for a total of 12 months.

Results: The results showed that at baseline and 3 months follow-up, serum activities of SOD, CAT and GPX and MDA concentrations were similar (p<0.05) between the HAART-naïve and HIV-infected on HAART that received micronutrient supplements or no supplements. However after 6 to 12 months, serum activities of SOD, CAT and GPX significantly increased (p<0.001), while MDA significantly decreased (p<0.001) in HAART-naïve and HIV-infected on HAART that received micronutrient supplements respectively compared to unsupplemented groups.

Conclusion: The results in the current study demonstrate that, the lower serum activities of antioxidant enzymes and higher lipid peroxidation in HAART-naïve HIV-infected and HIV-infected on HAART at baseline were reversed by micronutrients supplementation in the subjects.

Recommendation: The micronutrient supplement used was tolerated and when given at nutritional doses is likely to reduce oxidative stress and may slow the HIV-disease progression and prolong the time before initiation of ART or used as an adjuvant therapy with HAART. This could reduce the morbidity and mortality in the affected HIV/AIDS patients.