Prevalence of Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency in HIV-positive patients and its association with neuropsychiatric symptoms and immunological response.

BACKGROUND: Deficiency of micronutrients is prevalent even before the development of symptoms of HIV disease and is associated with accelerated HIV disease progression. AIMS: This study evaluates the prevalence of folate and Vitamin B12 deficiency in HIV-positive patients with or without tuberculosis (TB) and its association with neuropsychiatric symptoms and immunological response. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study in an outpatient setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four groups of HIV-positive patients with TB (Group I), HIV-positive patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms (Group II), HIV-positive patients without neuropsychiatric symptoms or TB (Group III), and HIV-negative controls with neuropsychiatric symptoms (Group IV). Vitamin B12 and folate estimation was done using carbonyl metallo-immunoassay method. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney, Pearson's correlation. RESULTS: The prevalence of folic acid deficiency was 27.1% in the Group I, 31.9% in the Group II, 23.4% in the Group III, and 32% in the Group IV being higher in patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms in both HIV and non-HIV patients. The prevalence of Vitamin B12 deficiency was 18.8% in Group I, 9.1% in Group II, 4.8% in Group III, and 16.7% in Group IV. The patients with folate deficiency had more severe depression and anxiety. CONCLUSION: Nearly, 30% of the HIV patients had a folic acid deficiency, and about 10% of the HIV patients had Vitamin B12 deficiency. The folate deficiency was highest among neuropsychiatric patients with or without HIV infection and Vitamin B12 deficiency was higher among HIV patients with TB.