Niacin nutritional status in HIV type 1-positive children: preliminary data.

Objective: HIV infection induces a state of pellagra in cell culture models. This study compared the nutritional status and the 24-hour urine excretion of N 1 -methylnicotinamide between HIV-positive children and HIV-negative children who were or were not born of mothers with HIV-1 infection. Patients and Methods: Forty patients were included in the study: HIV-positive children (group 1; n=20), HIV-negative children born to infected mothers (group 2; n=10), and HIV-negative control children (group 3; n=10). Usual dietary intake was assessed by a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Weight and height were assessed and compared with the reference data of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the estimation of fat-free mass and total body water, bioelectrical impedance technique was used. N 1 -methylnicotinamide was measured by a modified method of high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: Groups were matched in relation to age, sex, percentage of malnutrition, anthropometric measures, and body composition. Daily niacin intake did not differ statistically across groups (group 1=18.0±11.4 mg/day; group 2=18.9±8.0 mg/day; group 3=14.2±5.2 mg/day), nor did intake of tryptophan, vitamin B 6 , and zinc. The values of urinary niacin per gram of creatinine were similar and adequate across the groups (group 1=4.68 [0.75-14.9]; group 2=3.74 [1.13-5.69]; group 3=3.85 [1.80-8.19]). Conclusions: HIV-positive children excreted the same amount of N 1 -methylnicotinamide in urine as did the control children. These findings may be attributed to similarities in nutritional status, adequate intestinal absorption (no children experienced diarrhea) and stable clinical condition.