Low prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Ugandan HIV-infected patients with and without tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether hypovitaminosis D is a risk factor for the development of tuberculosis (TB) associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS).

METHODS: We measured serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D) concentrations in four groups of patients at Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda: 1) patients co-infected with TB and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) receiving anti-tuberculosis treatment (HIV+TB+; n = 92) who did and did not develop TB-IRIS after starting antiretroviral treatment (ART), 2) HIV-infected patients without TB (HIV+TB-; n = 20) starting ART, 3) non-HIV-infected individuals with TB (HIV-TB+; n = 27), and 4) those without TB (HIV-TB-; n = 23).

RESULTS: The prevalence of optimal 25D levels (>75 nmol/l) was as follows: 59% in HIV+TB+, 65% in HIV+TB-, 63% in HIV-TB+ and 35% in HIV-TB- patients. 25D concentrations decreased during the first 3 months of ART in HIV+TB+ individuals who developed IRIS (P = 0.005) and those who did not (P = 0.002), and in HIV+TB- individuals (P = 0.015); however, 25D concentration in patients who did or did not develop TB-IRIS did not differ.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of optimal vitamin D status was relatively high in HIV-infected patients with and without TB living near the equator. No difference in 25D concentrations was observed between TB-IRIS and non-IRIS. However, 25D concentrations decreased during ART.