Table 3 The impact of multiple micronutrient supplementation^a in HIV-infected adults not on ART on HIV disease progression and mortality – a summary of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials

Baum et al. 2013 [41]

Botswana

24 months

HIV+ adults not on ART with CD4 > 350 cells/μL

Arm 1: Multivitamin^b + selenium^c;

Arm 2: Multivitamin^b;

Arm 3: Selenium^c

Arm 1: 220; Arm 2: 219;

Arm 3: 216

217

CD4-cell count falling to ≤250 cells/μL

Hazard ratio ^d (95 % CI):

Arm 1 vs placebo: 0.46 (0.25–0.85)^d;

Arm 2 vs placebo: 0.83

(0.48–1.42)^d;

Arm 3 vs placebo: 0.76

(0.44–1.32)^d

Not assessed

Not assessed

Fawzi et al. 2004 [42]

Tanzania

60 / 71 months^e

HIV+ pregnant^f women not on ART

Arm 1: Multivitamin^g with vitamin A^h;

Arm 2: Multivitamin^g without vitamin A;

Arm 3: Vitamin A^h

Arm 1: 268;

Arm 2: 271; Arm 3: 272

267

≥2-stage increase in WHO clinical stageⁱ

Relative risk (95 % CI):

Arm 1 vs placebo: 0.74 (0.59–0.94);

Arm 2 vs placebo: 0.66 (0.52–0.84);

Arm 3 vs placebo: 0.74 (0.58–0.93)

Progression to clinical stage 4 or death from

AIDS-related causes^j

Relative risk (95 % CI):

Arm 1 vs placebo: 0.80 (0.58–1.10);

Arm 2 vs placebo: 0.71 (0.51–0.98);

Arm 3 vs placebo: 0.88 (0.64–1.19)

Death from HIV-related causes

Relative risk (95 % CI):

Arm 1 vs placebo: 0.91 (0.64–1.28);

Arm 2 vs placebo: 0.73 (0.51–1.04);

Arm 3 vs placebo: 0.93 (0.66–1.32)

Jiamton et al. 2003 [43]

Thailand

11 months

HIV+ adults not on ART^k with a CD4-cell count between 50 and 550 cells/μL

Multiple micronutrient supplement^l

242

239

Median CD4-cell count ^m

I: 200 cells/μL (IQR: 66–358) vs C: 232 cells/μL (IQR: 73–377); p > 0.3ⁿ

Death from HIV-related causes

Hazard ratio ^d (95 % CI):

0.53 (0.22–1.25)^o

Mean plasma viral load^m

I: 4.4 log10 copies per ml (95 % CI: 4.1–4.7) vs C: 4.5 log10 copies per ml (95 % CI: 4.3–4.8); p = 0.4