Vitamin A and zinc deficiencies among tuberculosis patients in Ethiopia

Abstract Background The link between tuberculosis (TB) and malnutrition has long been recognized. Vitamin A and zinc deficiencies may reduce the host defenses and increase the risk for diseases. Objective The aim of the present study was to estimate the difference in vitamin A and zinc deficiencies together with dietary intakes among pulmonary TB patients and controls. Materials and methods A case-control study design was employed to undertake this study in North Shewa, Ethiopia. Sputum smear examination, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to analyse acid fast bacilli (AFB), vitamin A, zinc, and C-reactive protein (CRP), respectively. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-h recall questionnaire. Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Chi-square, odds ratio (OR), Spearman correlation, and multinomial logistic regression model were computed for data analyses. Results In this study, 62 TB cases and 59 controls were included. The proportions of vitamin A deficiency among TB cases and controls were 56.4% and 39.0%, respectively. All TB cases and 92.5% controls were zinc deficient. The odds of TB cases with deficiencies of vitamin A and zinc was 2.3 (95% CI: 1.1 to 4.8)times more likely as compared to the controls. More than 80% of all participants had below average fulfilment of energy and vitamin A intakes. Conclusion Vitamin A and zinc deficiencies are severe problems among TB patients. Moreover, undernutrition determines the development of TB. Therefore, the management programs of TB need to address the problems of vitamin A and zinc deficiencies together with protein-energy malnutrition.