Bone Mineral Density and Vitamin D Levels in HIV Treatment-Naïve African American Individuals Randomized to Receive HIV Drug Regimens.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

The researchers compared the effects of efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (EFV/FTC/TDF) with the effects of raltegravir, darunavir, and ritonavir (RAL/DRV/r) on BMD and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels in HIV-infected, antiretroviral treatment-naïve African American subjects.

Who Took Part

The age groups tagged for this paper are young adults and adults, both men and women.

Forty HIV treatment-naïve African American subjects were screened, 35 of whom were randomized to receive either EFV/FTC/TDF or RAL/DRV/r.

All of the subjects received supplemental vitamin D3 and calcium.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized and pilot study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

It is described as a pilot, a small early test of whether a larger Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc study would be practical.

This was a pilot study at a single HIV clinic.

CD4 counts, HIV RNA, parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin, N-telopeptide, and 25(OH)D levels were obtained at baseline and at 8, 24, 36, and 48 weeks.

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry of the spine and hip was performed at baseline and at week 48.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Absorptiometry, Photon, Black or African American, Alkynes, Anti-HIV Agents, Benzoxazines, Bone Density and Bone Density Conservation Agents.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and pilot study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 7 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2016 (Southern medical journal), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.