The Effectiveness of Different Doses or Types of Vitamin D Supplementation in HIV-Positive Individuals in Lahore

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.