Micronutrient levels of tuberculosis patients during the intensive phase, a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: The objectives of this study were to estimate the micronutrient deficiency levels of tuberculosis patients at the start and end of the intensive phase, and to identify the predictors of micronutrient deficiencies in tuberculosis patients.

Methods: A prospective cohort study design was implemented. The sample size was calculated using Epi-info software. Systematic sampling technique was used. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate the micronutrient levels. The general linear model was used to predict the determinants of micronutrient level.

Results: At the start of DOTS (directly observed treatment strategy), 64% of tuberculosis patients had a serum iron level less than 60 μg/dl, 41.9% of tuberculosis patients had serum zinc level less than 52 μg/dl, 29.7% of tuberculosis patients had serum selenium level less than 70 ng/dl, 40.5% of tuberculosis patients had serum vitamin d level less than 20 ng/ml, and 60.4% of tuberculosis patients had urine iodine level of less than 60.4 μg/dl. At the end of the intensive phase, 16.7% of tuberculosis patients had a serum iron level less than 60 μg/dl, <1% of tuberculosis patients had serum zinc level less than 52 μg/dl, <1% of tuberculosis patients had serum selenium level less than 70 ng/dl, 20.4% of tuberculosis patients had serum vitamin d level less than 20 ng/ml, and 53% of tuberculosis patients had urine iodine level of less than 60.4 μg/dl. Serum iron level was affected by HIV infection, hookworm infection, and site of tuberculosis infection: serum vitamin d level was affected by HIV infection: and alcohol dependency affected the serum zinc level of tuberculosis patients during the course of tuberculosis treatments.

Conclusion: Antituberculosis drugs were effective in normalizing the serum zinc and selenium level, but the serum level of iron, vitamin d and iodine were not normalized by the anti-tuberculosis drugs.