Body composition among HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative adult patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Uganda.

PURPOSE: We determined whether human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection affects body cell mass and fat mass wasting among adults with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).

METHODS

We screened 967 Ugandan adults for PTB and HIV infection in a cross-sectional study. We compared anthropometric and bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) body composition parameters among HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative men and women with or without PTB by using a non-parametric test.

RESULTS

We found that poor nutritional status associated with TB differed among men and women. Anthropometric and BIA body composition did not differ between HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative patients regardless of gender. Average weight group difference in men consisted of body cell mass and fat mass in equal proportions of 43%. In women, average weight group difference consisted predominantly of fat mass of 73% and body cell mass of 13%. Compared to individuals without TB, patients with TB had lower body mass index, weight, body cell mass, and fat mass regardless of gender and HIV status.

CONCLUSIONS

Gender, but not HIV status, was associated with body composition changes in TB. TB appears to be the dominant factor driving the wasting process among co-infected patients.