8 times less bacteria in blood of HIV patients if Vitamin D levels greater than 30 ng – April 2016

Optimal vitamin D plasma levels are associated with lower bacterial DNA translocation in HIV/hepatitis c virus coinfected patients.

AIDS. 2016 Apr 24;30(7):1069-74. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000001007.
García-Álvarez M1, Berenguer J, Jiménez-Sousa MÁ, Vázquez-Morón S, Carrero A, Gutiérrez-Rivas M, Aldámiz-Echevarría T, López JC, García-Broncano P, Resino S.
1aUnit of Viral Infection and Immunity, National Centre of Microbiology. Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda,bInfectious Diseases-HIV Unit, Hospital General Universitario 'Gregorio Marañón'cHealth Research Institute 'Gregorio Marañón', Madrid, Spain.

OBJECTIVE:
Vitamin D has been linked to the immune response modulation and the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier. Therefore, vitamin D might be involved in bacterial translocation related to HIV infection. Our major aim was to analyze the association between plasma levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] and bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA (bactDNA) in 120 HIV/hepatitis c virus (HCV) coinfected patients.

DESIGN:
Cross-sectional study.

METHODS:

Plasma 25(OH)D levels were quantified by enzyme immunoassay. The vitamin D status was defined as deficient (<25 nmol/l), insufficient (25-74 nmol/l), and optimal (=75 nmol/l) plasma levels. Plasma bactDNA levels were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. For bactDNA levels the cutoffs used were as follows: low [<p25th (46 copies/µl)], moderate [p25th to p50th (78 copies/µl)], high [p50th to p75th (159 copies/µl)], and very high (>p75th).

RESULTS:
Eighteen (15%) patients had 25(OH)D deficiency, 93 (77.5%) had insufficiency and nine (7.5%) had 25(OH)D optimal values.
The bactDNA levels were lower in patients with 25(OH)D at least 75 nmol/l [37 copies/µl] than in patients with 25(OH)D insufficiency [84.2 copies/µl; P = 0.042].

Conversely, low bactDNA levels (<p25th) were found in 66.7% of patients with 25(OH)D optimal levels, whereas bactDNA levels above p25th were found only in 11.1% of them (P = 0.029).

The plasma 25(OH)D not less than 75 nmol/l was associated with low bactDNA levels (<p25th) [adjusted OR = 8.13 (95% confidence interval = 1.82; 36.67); P = 0.006)]. The patients with optimal vitamin D status [25(OH)D =75 nmol/l] had lower plasma levels of CCL7 (P = 0.047) and basic fibroblast growth factor (P = 0.042).

CONCLUSION:
The optimal vitamin D status was associated with low bacterial translocation and inflammation in HIV/HCV coinfected patients.

PMID: 27032111 DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000001007

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