Low Serum Selenium in HIV-1 Infected Women
Author Information
Author(s): Paul K Drain, Jared M Baeten, Julie Overbaugh, Mark H Wener, Daniel D Bankson, Ludo Lavreys, Kishorchandra Mandaliya, Jeckoniah O Ndinya-Achola, R Scott McClelland
Primary Institution: University of Washington
Hypothesis
Is serum selenium independently associated with CD4 count or plasma viral load in HIV-1 infected women after adjusting for serum albumin and acute phase response?
Conclusion
Serum selenium was independently associated with serum albumin, but not with CD4 count or plasma viral load, in HIV-1-seropositive women.
Supporting Evidence
- Lower CD4 count and higher plasma viral load were associated with lower serum selenium concentrations.
- Only serum albumin remained significantly associated with serum selenium in multivariate analyses.
- Women with an acute phase response had lower serum selenium concentrations.
Takeaway
This study found that low selenium levels in women with HIV are linked to low albumin levels, but not to their immune health or viral load.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate relationships between serum selenium concentrations and various health markers among HIV-1-seropositive women.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding factors such as dietary selenium intake were not controlled for.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and it only included women, which may affect generalizability.
Participant Demographics
Participants were HIV-1-seropositive women aged 18-45, primarily of low socioeconomic status.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
0.4–1.2
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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