Lower CD4 lymphocyte counts in HIV/HCV co-infected patients with liver fibrosis on long term HAART and low vitamin D level

Abstract

Vitamin D insufficiency (D-INSUFF) has been associated with impaired immune response in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients and with a worse prognosis in patients with liver fibrosis. Nevertheless, few studies have explored the influence of D-INSUFF in immunological response and liver parameters in HIV and hepatitis C virus co-infected patients (HIV/HCV) on long term highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with successful immune and viral response. In this cross-sectional study, first we determined the prevalence of D-INSUFF in a cohort of HIV/HCV outpatients with liver fibrosis and second, we assessed whether the existence of D-INSUFF involves the appearance of relevant immunological data and/or particular clinical aspects related to liver disease.

Age-Related Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated with the Immune Response in Children with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

“…Moreover, it was reported that vitamin D played key roles in modulating the immune responses to Streptococcus pneumonia (8), which is a common pathogen in children with CAP (9,10). In addition, a great deal of evidence has proved the relationship between vitamin D level and some immunity related markers such as neutrophil/lymphocyte radio, lymphocyte count and lymphocyte subsets (11)(12)(13). Thus, the vitamin D status may be related with the immune ability of patients with CAP and its deficiency-caused dysfunction of the immune system may be the major pathogenesis of CAP.…”