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.