Abstract:
The average lifespan of people suffering from HIV-AIDS is estimated to be 9 to 11 years, with
Vitamin D deficiency as one of the most common phenomena among them. Anti-Retroviral
Therapy (ART) could significantly enhance the quality of life of HIV-AIDS patients; however, it
further decreases Vitamin D serum levels among them. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of
vitamin D supplementation on immune function, viral load, and other health outcomes in HIV
positive individuals. Methods: This was a descriptive study conducted on a sample of 95 HIV
diagnosed patients aged 19 to 50 years in Punjab, Pakistan. Patients were selected from an AIDS
control clinic and prescribed antiretroviral therapy. Baseline assessments were conducted
using a structured evaluation questionnaire, and biochemical results were used to classify
vitamin D deficiency. Results: The study presents information on PCR viral load counts in HIV
patients, including minimum (50), and maximum (750,000) values, mean (32,475) with standard
deviation (155,343), 5% sheared mean (28), and the 95% confidence interval (17,802 to 47,148) for
the average. Results showed that HIV-positive patients taking vitamin D supplementation had a
lower mean rank (50.07) compared to those not taking supplements (57.00), with a difference of
275.5 in the sum of ranks between the two groups. Inferential statistics suggested that vitamin D
plays a significant role in improving the prognosis of HIV patients taking ART, with a significance
value of 0.0032. Conclusion: The present study concludes that Vitamin D supplementation has
a significant role in improving the life status of HIV patients.
