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HIV and Nutrition

  • 1.  HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-22-2024 14:21

    Hello, my name is Melissa Breckenridge. I am currently a 4th-year pharmacy student at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. I've worked with the City of San Antonio Health Department in their HIV/STD awareness program, and I am currently completing an APPE rotation with Legacy Community Health. I have a few questions regarding the impact of nutrition on HIV viral load suppression. Has anyone seen a difference in viral load suppression when a patient improves their nutritional status?



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    Melissa Breckenridge
    Spring TX
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  • 2.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-22-2024 15:25

    With contemporary therapy everyone's viral load should be suppressed, so you wouldn't be able to detect differences based on nutritional status. Back in the days before effective therapy, there wasn't much evidence of a nutritional effect. We recommended a good diet because it was healthy in other ways, but not because it made a diffence in viral suppression.



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    Joel Gallant, MD, MPH
    Santa Fe, NM
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-23-2024 16:15

    Melissa

    Excellent question

    I believe there was a study done in Africa in the early epidemic period comparing the use of PNV (pre-natal vitamins) and mortality (pre-ART0.

     

    You could look for older studies comparing mortalities in different countries (similar to that one) in the pre-ART era to try to get more information for your question.

    Thanks

    jeff

     

    Jeffrey C. Hatcher, M.D., FACP

    Cone Health 

    VP Physician Wellness, Engagement and Medical Affairs

    Physician, Internal Medicine Teaching Program

    Direct Dial: 336-832-3921|Mobile: 336-908-2134

    Fax: 336-832-3909

    Website: conehealth.com 

     




    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-22-2024 17:53
    Edited by Thuy-Trinh Ngo 05-22-2024 17:53

    That is a good question! I would also be interested to know if there is a correlation between nutritional status and HIV viral suppression.



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    Kaitlyn Ngo
    Houston TX
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-22-2024 23:00

    I am unaware of nutrition affecting the viral load of HIV. If there is any correlation between the two, I wonder if the patient has to be on a strict nutrition regimen. This is a great question to look further into. 



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    Joseph Victorian
    Denton TX
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-22-2024 23:39

    I think you have a very good question! It would be beneficial to know if there is a relationship between nutritional status and HIV viral suppression.



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    Lauren Krupa
    Azle TX
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-22-2024 23:50

    Great question Melissa, I definitely think it's something worth looking into.



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    Stephanie Munoz
    Willow Park TX
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-23-2024 09:20

    Hello Melissa, you've asked a really wonderful question! While I have not researched the topic extensively, I was able to find an article that studied the NRI, immune rating, CD4+, and viral load in 93 patients at risk of malnutrition. While 23.91% (n = 23) of patients did have poor immune status, there was not a significant correlation between viral load and their nutritional status. This suggests that improved nutrition is recommended for holistic wellness of patients living with HIV, not necessarily because of nutrition's impact on viral load. 

    Here is the article I referenced:
    Thimmapuram R, Lanka S, Esswein A, Dall L. Correlation of Nutrition with Immune Status in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Outpatients. Mo Med. 2019;116(4):336-339.



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    Andrea Lenear
    Fort Worth TX
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-23-2024 15:44

    This is such a timely question - I know our local (Houston) Ryan White Planning Council is in talks to understand if Ryan White funding can cover medically tailored meals. The recent results of a randomized controlled trial investigated the benefits of medically tailored food programs for people with HIV and found that the "food is medicine" intervention reduced hospitalizations and improved mental and physical health among people with HIV, despite no impact on viral suppression.



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    Kevin Aloysius
    Houston TX
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-23-2024 17:06

    I've never really thought about it, but I feel like there might a correlation between the nutrition status and viral load suppression. That might be clinical relevant to understanding patients with HIV.



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    Esther Park
    Frisco TX
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-23-2024 23:02

    That was an excellent question Melissa and something that I think is worth looking into! 



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    nihitha nukala
    Fort Worth TX
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    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-24-2024 11:08
    Many are suggesting that this be studied, but nutrition has been studied extensively, with no effect on viral load. Remember that there was a 15-year period when we had few effective options for people with HIV. Needless to say, people looked at anything and everything that might help, from nutritional interventions to bitter melon retention enemas to blood boiling, but the virus always won. Today, someone on ART should have an undetectable VL whether they eat a health spa diet or nothing but Big Macs. 

    That doesn't mean nutrition isn't important-it's just not going to make a difference in terms of viral suppression.



    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-31-2024 13:34

    Hey Joel, 

    Thanks for making this nutritional information...simple! That is a great way to understand nutrition as it relates to VL.



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    Henry Bryant
    Pembroke Pines FL
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    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: HIV and Nutrition

    Posted 05-24-2024 00:36

    Great post! I'm interested in how nutrition might influence the viral load in HIV patients. If there's a connection, does it mean patients need to adhere to a specific dietary plan? This is a fascinating topic that deserves more exploration.



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    An Vuong
    McKinney TX
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    Original Message