Multivitamin supplementation improves hematologic status in HIV-infected women and their children in Tanzania

Background: Anemia is a frequent complication among HIV-infected persons and is associated with faster disease progression and mortality. Objective: We examined the effect of multivitamin supplementation on hemoglobin concentrations and the risk of anemia among HIV-infected pregnant women and their children. Design: HIV-1-infected pregnant women (n = 1078) from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were enrolled in a double-blind trial and provided daily supplements of preformed vitamin A and β-carotene, multivitamins (vitamins B, C, and E), preformed vitamin A and β-carotene + multivitamins, or placebo. All women received iron and folate supplements only during pregnancy according to local standard of care. The median follow-up time for hemoglobin measurement for mothers was 57.3 mo [interquartile range (IQR): 28.6-66.8] and for children it was 28.0 mo (IQR: 5.3-41.7). Results: During the whole period, hemoglobin concentrations among women who received multivitamins were 0.33 g/dL higher than among women who did not receive multivitamins (P = 0.07). Compared with placebo, multivitamin supplementation resulted in a hemoglobin increase of 0.59 g/dL during the first 2 y after enrollment (P = 0.0002). Compared with placebo, the children born to mothers who received multivitamins had a reduced risk of anemia. In this group, the risk of macrocytic anemia was 63% lower than in the placebo group (relative risk: 0.37: 95% CI: 0.18, 0.79; P = 0.01). Conclusion: Multivitamin supplementation provided during pregnancy and in the postpartum period resulted in significant improvements in hematologic status among HIV-infected women and their children, which provides further support for the value of multivitamin supplementation in HIV-infected adults. © 2007 American Society for Nutrition.