AIDS post-HIV : beat of a different drummer - AltHeal

those whose disease will progress the most rapidly.
Vitamin B12 levels may be a surrogate marker for
HIV disease progression. [Serum Vitamin B12 and
Transcobalamin Levels in Early HIV Disease. Rule,
S.A.J., et al, American Journal of Hematology,
1994;47:167- 171. Address: S.A.J. Rule, MB,
Department of Hematology, Hammersmith
Hospital, Du Cane Rd, London W12 ONN,
England].
Beta Carotene and CD4 Count
Twenty-one HIV infected people, most of whom
w e re taking AZT, were given 180 mgs per day of
beta-carotene or a placebo for 4 weeks. This was
followed by 4 weeks of the opposite therapy. This
resulted in a significant increase in total white
blood cell counts, the percent change in helper
cells (CD4) and a percent change in the helpersuppressor
ratio (CD4/CD8) compared to placebo.
The total and B-lymphocytes increased on the
beta- carotene, and fell during the placebo tre a t-
ment. There was no toxicity observed at the 180
mg dosage. Dr. Gregg O. Coodley, principal author
of the study, suggests that perhaps beta-carotene
can help AIDS patients not succumb to opportunistic
infection, or even delay the onset of full
blown AIDS. "Beta-Carotene Lifts CD4 Counts: At
Doses of 180 mgs, Study Found 17% Increase in
H I V-Infected People," Mckeown, L.A., Medical
Tribune, February 25, 1993;34(4):1 [Beta-Caro t e n e
in HIV Infection. Coodley, Gregg, et al, Journal of
A c q u i red Immunodeficiency Syndro m e s ,
1993;6:272-276. Address: L.A. McKeown, Medical
Tribune, 257 Park Avenue South, New York, NY
10010, U.S.A./G. Coodley, M.D., Oregon Health
Sciences University, L475, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson
Park Road, Portland, OR 97201-3098, U.S.A.]
Beta Carotene and CD4:CD8 Ratio
20 healthy male nonsmokers received either b-
carotene 60 mg daily or placebo. After 9 mo., the
CD4-CD8 (helper/suppressor) ratio incre a s e d ,
while natural killer cells, virgin T cells, memory T
cells, and cytotoxic cells remained unaltere d
[Murata T, Tamai H, Morinobu T, et al. Effect of
long-term administration of b-carotene on lymphocyte
subsets in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 60:597-
602, 1994].
Beta Carotene and Prevention of Progress to AIDS
10 pts. with AIDS related complex received 60 mg
b e t a - c a rotene daily for 20 consecutive days per
month. Asthenia and nocturnal perspiration fever
disappeared in 9/10 and they regained their weight
and activity levels in 6-21 months.
Ly m p h a d e n o p a t h y, however, failed to improve. 1
pt. who had Kaposiís sarcoma had a rapid
recovery from opportunistic infections with a
doubling of the CD4 count and no further growth of
the sarcoma. Beta-carotene appeared to pre v e n t
progress to AIDS and to permit the lowering of the
e ffective dosage of AZT [Bianchi-Santamaria A,
Fedeli S, Santamaria L. Short communication:
possible activity of beta-carotene in patients with
the AIDS related complex. A pilot study. Med Oncol
Tumor Pharmacother 9(3):151-3, 1992].
Beta Carotene and T Cell Count
64 HIV-positive pts. in the early ARC phase took
beta-carotene 100,000 IU (60 mg) for 20 consecutive
days/month. After 21 mo., mean T-cell counts
i n c reased 15% from 451 to 519 [Bianchi-
Santamaria A et al. Possible activity of betac
a rotene in patients with the IAD related complex
(ARC). IXth Int Conf on AIDS PO-B28-2168, Berlin,
1993].
Beta Carotene Deficiency Due to Fat
Malabsorption, Correlates with Reduced Helper
Lymphocytes
This study evaluated 33 controls and 116 HIVinfected
patients to assess total serum caro t e n e
concentration as indicator of fat malabsorption in
c o r relation with diarrhea, secondary enteric infections
and blood lymphocyte subsets. The total
serum carotene level was abnormal in 77% of the
H I V-infected patients and significantly decre a s e d
c o m p a red with the controls. The percentage of
helper lymphocytes, helper count and
h e l p e r : s u p p ressor ratio in the peripheral blood
correlated with total serum carotene levels in HIVinfected
patients. The abnormal serum caro t e n e
levels may be due to fat malabsorption and may
contribute to diarrhea in these AIDS patients.
[Serum Carotene Deficiency in HIV- I n f e c t e d
Patients. Ullrich, Reiner, et al, AIDS, 1994;8:661-
665. (Address: Reiner Ullrich M.D., Medical Clinic,
Department of Gastroenterology, Klinikum Steglitz,
Hindenburgdamm 30, D-12200 Berlin, Germany].
Beta Carotene Increases Natural Killer Cells
Eleven patients with AIDS received 60 mgs of betacarotene
daily for 4 months. There were increases
in natural killer cells and activated lymphocytes
during treatment with beta-carotene, which diminished
3 months after treatment. The authors
conclude that beta-carotene can affect immune
parameters in HIV-infected subjects and is
nontoxic at this test dose. They encourage further
long term studies with beta-carotene in AIDS. [A
P reliminary Trial of Beta-Carotene in Subjects
Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Vi r u s .
G a rewal, Harinder S., et al, Journal of Nutrition,
1992;122:728-732. Address: Harinder S. Gare w a l ,
Departments of Internal Medicine, Family and
Community Medicine, University of Arizona Health
Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ 85724, U.S.A.]
Beta-Carotene Raises T Cell Count
Pts. with advanced AIDS received beta-caro t e n e
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CONTINUUM vol 6, no 1/2