Objective: To examine the impact of HIV coinfection, socioeconomic status (SES) and severity of tuberculosis (TB) on the body composition and anthropometric status of adults with pulmonary TB.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Five TB clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Subjects: A total of 2231 adult men and women diagnosed with pulmonary TB, prior to the initiation of anti-TB therapy.
Methods: We compared the distribution of anthropometric characteristics including body mass index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), triceps skin-fold (TSF), and arm muscle circumference (AMC) by HIV status, SES characteristics, and indicators of TB severity (bacillary density in sputum and Karnofsky performance score). Similar comparisons were carried out with body composition variables from bioelectrical impedance analysis and albumin concentrations, in a subsample of 731 subjects.
Results: In multivariate analysis, HIV infection was significantly associated with lower MUAC and AMC in both men and women, but not with BMI or TSF. Compared to HIV-uninfected women, those who were HIV infected had lower body cell mass (BCM) (adjusted difference = -0.85 kg, P = 0.04), intracellular water (-0.68 l, P = 0.04), and phase angle (-0.52, P = 0.02). Albumin concentrations were significantly lower in both men and women infected with HIV. Among HIV-infected men, CD4 cell counts <200/mm(3) were related to lower intracellular water, BCM, fat-free mass and phase angle. Independent of HIV infection, BMI and MUAC were positively related to SES indicators and the Karnofsky performance score; and inversely related to bacillary density.
Conclusions: HIV infection is associated with indicators of low lean body mass in adults with TB; socioeconomic factors and TB severity are important correlates of wasting, independent of HIV.
Sponsorship: The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (UO1 AI 45441-01).