Iron status and indicators of human immunodeficiency virus disease severity among pregnant women in Malawi.

Semba, R D; Taha, T E; Kumwenda, N; Mtimavalye, L; Broadhead, R; Miotti, P G; Chiphangwi, J D · Clin Infect Dis · 2001

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

The relationships among hemoglobin, ferritin, and transferrin receptor levels and 2 markers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease severity--HIV load and CD4(+) lymphocyte count--were characterized among 483 pregnant women in Malawi, Africa. The only significant correlation was an inverse correlation between hemoglobin level and plasma HIV load (r=-.104; P<.03). The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was not significantly different across quartiles of HIV load or CD4(+) lymphocyte count. In contrast to previous studies, these data suggest that iron status is not related to markers of HIV disease severity in pregnant women in Africa.

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